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Virus ecology and 7‐year temporal dynamics across a permafrost thaw gradient

Journal Article · · Environmental Microbiology
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [1];  [3];  [4];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [3];  [5];  [6]
  1. Department of Microbiology The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA, Center of Microbiome Science The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA, National Science Foundation EMERGE Biology Integration Institute The Ohio State University Columbus USA
  2. Department of Microbiology The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA
  3. National Science Foundation EMERGE Biology Integration Institute The Ohio State University Columbus USA, Soil and Crop Sciences Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USA
  4. Department of Microbiology The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA, Center of Microbiome Science The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA
  5. Department of Microbiology The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA, Center of Microbiome Science The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA, National Science Foundation EMERGE Biology Integration Institute The Ohio State University Columbus USA, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA
  6. Department of Microbiology The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA, Center of Microbiome Science The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA, National Science Foundation EMERGE Biology Integration Institute The Ohio State University Columbus USA, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA
Abstract

Soil microorganisms are pivotal in the global carbon cycle, but the viruses that affect them and their impact on ecosystems are less understood. In this study, we explored the diversity, dynamics, and ecology of soil viruses through 379 metagenomes collected annually from 2010 to 2017. These samples spanned the seasonally thawed active layer of a permafrost thaw gradient, which included palsa, bog, and fen habitats. We identified 5051 virus operational taxonomic units (vOTUs), doubling the known viruses for this site. These vOTUs were largely ephemeral within habitats, suggesting a turnover at the vOTU level from year to year. While the diversity varied by thaw stage and depth‐related patterns were specific to each habitat, the virus communities did not significantly change over time. The abundance ratios of virus to host at the phylum level did not show consistent trends across the thaw gradient, depth, or time. To assess potential ecosystem impacts, we predicted hosts in silico and found viruses linked to microbial lineages involved in the carbon cycle, such as methanotrophy and methanogenesis. This included the identification of viruses of Candidatus Methanoflorens, a significant global methane contributor. We also detected a variety of potential auxiliary metabolic genes, including 24 carbon‐degrading glycoside hydrolases, six of which are uniquely terrestrial. In conclusion, these long‐term observations enhance our understanding of soil viruses in the context of climate‐relevant processes and provide opportunities to explore their role in terrestrial carbon cycling.

Research Organization:
The Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States); Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE; USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0004632; SC0010580; SC0016440; SC0023307
OSTI ID:
2426672
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 2434061
OSTI ID: 2579888
Journal Information:
Environmental Microbiology, Journal Name: Environmental Microbiology Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 26; ISSN 1462-2912
Publisher:
Wiley-BlackwellCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English

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