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Purifying the Impure: Sequencing Metagenomes and Metatranscriptomes from Complex Animal-associated Samples
Published on: December 22, 2014
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Virus-host relationships of marine single-celled eukaryotes resolved from metatranscriptomics
Mohammad Moniruzzaman1, Louie L Wurch2, Harriet Alexander3
1Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA.
Nature Communications
|June 29, 2017
Summary
Marine metatranscriptomics reveals abundant, previously unknown virus-host interactions. This study identifies active infections by diverse giant viruses (NCLDVs) in microbial communities, offering new insights into marine ecosystems.
Area of Science:
- Marine microbiology
- Virology
- Genomics
Background:
- Traditional virus-host relationship studies rely on culture-dependent methods.
- Marine environments harbor vast, unexplored viral diversity and interactions.
- Metatranscriptomics offers a culture-independent approach to study active viral processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate virus-host relationships in marine microbial communities using metatranscriptomics.
- To identify active viral infections and link viruses to their hosts in situ.
- To explore the ecological roles of diverse viruses, including giant viruses (NCLDVs), during algal blooms.
Main Methods:
- Marine metatranscriptomics of polyadenylation-selected RNA sequences.
- Statistical co-occurrence analyses of viral markers (dsDNA, ssRNA, dsRNA).
- Analysis of microbial communities dominated by Aureococcus anophagefferens and diatoms.
Main Results:
- Active infections by diverse NCLDVs were detected in association with algal and nonalgal hosts.
- Ongoing infections of Aureococcus anophagefferens by Mimiviridae (AaV) were observed during bloom dynamics.
- Increased activity of non-AaV viruses, including (+) ssRNA viruses, coincided with bloom decline.
- NCLDV infections exhibited both 'boom-and-bust' and 'steady-state' ecological patterns in Narragansett Bay.
Conclusions:
- Marine metatranscriptomics is an effective method for screening active viral infections.
- Numerous novel virus-host relationships exist in marine systems.
- Understanding these interactions is crucial for marine ecosystem dynamics.
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