Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Background
Rock-dwelling microorganisms are key players in ecosystem functioning of Antarctic ice free-areas. Yet, little is known about their diversity and ecology, and further still, viruses in these communities have been largely unexplored despite important roles related to host metabolism and nutrient cycling. To begin to address this, we present a large-scale viral catalog from Antarctic rock microbial communities.Results
We performed metagenomic analyses on rocks from across Antarctica representing a broad range of environmental and spatial conditions, and which resulted in a predicted viral catalog comprising > 75,000 viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUS). We found largely undescribed, highly diverse and spatially structured virus communities which had predicted auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) with functions indicating that they may be potentially influencing bacterial adaptation and biogeochemistry.Conclusion
This catalog lays the foundation for expanding knowledge of virosphere diversity, function, spatial ecology, and dynamics in extreme environments. This work serves as a step towards exploring adaptability of microbial communities in the face of a changing climate. Video Abstract.
SUBMITTER: Ettinger CL
PROVIDER: S-EPMC10165816 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Ettinger Cassandra L CL Saunders Morgan M Selbmann Laura L Delgado-Baquerizo Manuel M Donati Claudio C Albanese Davide D Roux Simon S Tringe Susannah S Pennacchio Christa C Del Rio Tijana G TG Stajich Jason E JE Coleine Claudia C
Microbiome 20230508 1
<h4>Background</h4>Rock-dwelling microorganisms are key players in ecosystem functioning of Antarctic ice free-areas. Yet, little is known about their diversity and ecology, and further still, viruses in these communities have been largely unexplored despite important roles related to host metabolism and nutrient cycling. To begin to address this, we present a large-scale viral catalog from Antarctic rock microbial communities.<h4>Results</h4>We performed metagenomic analyses on rocks from acros ...[more]