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Updated: Dec 29, 2025
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Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins
Published on: June 11, 2015
12.6K
Phage diversity, genomics and phylogeny
Moïra B Dion1,2, Frank Oechslin1,2, Sylvain Moineau3,4,5
1Département de biochimie, de microbiologie et de bio-informatique, Faculté des sciences et de génie, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada.
Nature Reviews. Microbiology
|February 5, 2020
Summary
Viral metagenomics reveals vast phage diversity across environments. Despite genomic novelty, structural proteins are conserved, driven by host-induced genetic exchange and mosaic genomes.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Virology
- Bioinformatics
Background:
- Viral metagenomics has accelerated the discovery of diverse bacteriophages (phages) in various ecosystems.
- This expansion in knowledge highlights the vast, undiscovered viral world.
- Despite genomic diversity, phage structural proteins exhibit significant conservation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review phage diversity at structural, genomic, and community levels.
- To explore the evolutionary relationships shaping phage diversity.
- To understand the role of genetic exchange and mosaic genomes in phage evolution.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent literature on viral metagenomics.
- Analysis of phage genomic and structural protein data.
- Exploration of evolutionary dynamics and host-phage interactions.
Main Results:
- Unprecedented catalogue of phages discovered across diverse environments.
- Remarkable nucleotide sequence diversity contrasts with conserved structural proteins.
- Phages exhibit complex evolutionary interconnections driven by host-imposed selective pressures.
Conclusions:
- Phage diversity is shaped by a combination of genomic novelty and conserved structural elements.
- Genetic exchange and mosaic genome structures are key drivers of phage evolution.
- Understanding these dynamics is crucial for comprehending viral communities and their ecological roles.
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