Abstract
Viruses, and more particularly phages (viruses that infect bacteria), represent one of the most abundant living entities in aquatic and terrestrial environments. The biogeography of phages has only recently been investigated and so far reveals a cosmopolitan distribution of phage genetic material (or genotypes). Here we address this cosmopolitan distribution through the analysis of phage communities in modern microbialites, the living representatives of one of the most ancient life forms on Earth. On the basis of a comparative metagenomic analysis of viral communities associated with marine (Highborne Cay, Bahamas) and freshwater (Pozas Azules II and Rio Mesquites, Mexico) microbialites, we show that some phage genotypes are geographically restricted. The high percentage of unknown sequences recovered from the three metagenomes (>97%), the low percentage similarities with sequences from other environmental viral (n = 42) and microbial (n = 36) metagenomes, and the absence of viral genotypes shared among microbialites indicate that viruses are genetically unique in these environments. Identifiable sequences in the Highborne Cay metagenome were dominated by single-stranded DNA microphages that were not detected in any other samples examined, including sea water, fresh water, sediment, terrestrial, extreme, metazoan-associated and marine microbial mats. Finally, a marine signature was present in the phage community of the Pozas Azules II microbialites, even though this environment has not been in contact with the ocean for tens of millions of years. Taken together, these results prove that viruses in modern microbialites display biogeographical variability and suggest that they may be derived from an ancient community.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 340-343 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Nature |
| Volume | 452 |
| Issue number | 7185 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 20 2008 |
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Cite this
Biodiversity and biogeography of phages in modern stromatolites and thrombolites. / Desnues, Christelle; Rodriguez-Brito, Beltran; Rayhawk, Steve; Kelley, Scott; Tran, Tuong; Haynes, Matthew; Liu, Hong; Furlan, Mike; Wegley, Linda; Chau, Betty; Ruan, Yijun; Hall, Dana; Angly, Florent E.; Edwards, Robert A.; Li, Linlin; Thurber, Rebecca Vega; Reid, Pamela R; Siefert, Janet; Souza, Valeria; Valentine, David L.; Swan, Brandon K.; Breitbart, Mya; Rohwer, Forest.
In: Nature, Vol. 452, No. 7185, 20.03.2008, p. 340-343.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Biodiversity and biogeography of phages in modern stromatolites and thrombolites
AU - Desnues, Christelle
AU - Rodriguez-Brito, Beltran
AU - Rayhawk, Steve
AU - Kelley, Scott
AU - Tran, Tuong
AU - Haynes, Matthew
AU - Liu, Hong
AU - Furlan, Mike
AU - Wegley, Linda
AU - Chau, Betty
AU - Ruan, Yijun
AU - Hall, Dana
AU - Angly, Florent E.
AU - Edwards, Robert A.
AU - Li, Linlin
AU - Thurber, Rebecca Vega
AU - Reid, Pamela R
AU - Siefert, Janet
AU - Souza, Valeria
AU - Valentine, David L.
AU - Swan, Brandon K.
AU - Breitbart, Mya
AU - Rohwer, Forest
PY - 2008/3/20
Y1 - 2008/3/20
N2 - Viruses, and more particularly phages (viruses that infect bacteria), represent one of the most abundant living entities in aquatic and terrestrial environments. The biogeography of phages has only recently been investigated and so far reveals a cosmopolitan distribution of phage genetic material (or genotypes). Here we address this cosmopolitan distribution through the analysis of phage communities in modern microbialites, the living representatives of one of the most ancient life forms on Earth. On the basis of a comparative metagenomic analysis of viral communities associated with marine (Highborne Cay, Bahamas) and freshwater (Pozas Azules II and Rio Mesquites, Mexico) microbialites, we show that some phage genotypes are geographically restricted. The high percentage of unknown sequences recovered from the three metagenomes (>97%), the low percentage similarities with sequences from other environmental viral (n = 42) and microbial (n = 36) metagenomes, and the absence of viral genotypes shared among microbialites indicate that viruses are genetically unique in these environments. Identifiable sequences in the Highborne Cay metagenome were dominated by single-stranded DNA microphages that were not detected in any other samples examined, including sea water, fresh water, sediment, terrestrial, extreme, metazoan-associated and marine microbial mats. Finally, a marine signature was present in the phage community of the Pozas Azules II microbialites, even though this environment has not been in contact with the ocean for tens of millions of years. Taken together, these results prove that viruses in modern microbialites display biogeographical variability and suggest that they may be derived from an ancient community.
AB - Viruses, and more particularly phages (viruses that infect bacteria), represent one of the most abundant living entities in aquatic and terrestrial environments. The biogeography of phages has only recently been investigated and so far reveals a cosmopolitan distribution of phage genetic material (or genotypes). Here we address this cosmopolitan distribution through the analysis of phage communities in modern microbialites, the living representatives of one of the most ancient life forms on Earth. On the basis of a comparative metagenomic analysis of viral communities associated with marine (Highborne Cay, Bahamas) and freshwater (Pozas Azules II and Rio Mesquites, Mexico) microbialites, we show that some phage genotypes are geographically restricted. The high percentage of unknown sequences recovered from the three metagenomes (>97%), the low percentage similarities with sequences from other environmental viral (n = 42) and microbial (n = 36) metagenomes, and the absence of viral genotypes shared among microbialites indicate that viruses are genetically unique in these environments. Identifiable sequences in the Highborne Cay metagenome were dominated by single-stranded DNA microphages that were not detected in any other samples examined, including sea water, fresh water, sediment, terrestrial, extreme, metazoan-associated and marine microbial mats. Finally, a marine signature was present in the phage community of the Pozas Azules II microbialites, even though this environment has not been in contact with the ocean for tens of millions of years. Taken together, these results prove that viruses in modern microbialites display biogeographical variability and suggest that they may be derived from an ancient community.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=41149159700&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=41149159700&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/nature06735
DO - 10.1038/nature06735
M3 - Article
C2 - 18311127
AN - SCOPUS:41149159700
VL - 452
SP - 340
EP - 343
JO - Nature
JF - Nature
SN - 0028-0836
IS - 7185
ER -