1
|
Sarre LA, Kim IV, Ovchinnikov V, Olivetta M, Suga H, Dudin O, Sebé-Pedrós A, de Mendoza A. DNA methylation enables recurrent endogenization of giant viruses in an animal relative. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eado6406. [PMID: 38996012 PMCID: PMC11244446 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ado6406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
5-Methylcytosine (5mC) is a widespread silencing mechanism that controls genomic parasites. In eukaryotes, 5mC has gained complex roles in gene regulation beyond parasite control, yet 5mC has also been lost in many lineages. The causes for 5mC retention and its genomic consequences are still poorly understood. Here, we show that the protist closely related to animals Amoebidium appalachense features both transposon and gene body methylation, a pattern reminiscent of invertebrates and plants. Unexpectedly, hypermethylated genomic regions in Amoebidium derive from viral insertions, including hundreds of endogenized giant viruses, contributing 14% of the proteome. Using a combination of inhibitors and genomic assays, we demonstrate that 5mC silences these giant virus insertions. Moreover, alternative Amoebidium isolates show polymorphic giant virus insertions, highlighting a dynamic process of infection, endogenization, and purging. Our results indicate that 5mC is critical for the controlled coexistence of newly acquired viral DNA into eukaryotic genomes, making Amoebidium a unique model to understand the hybrid origins of eukaryotic DNA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luke A. Sarre
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Iana V. Kim
- CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Vladimir Ovchinnikov
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Marine Olivetta
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hiroshi Suga
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Shobara, Japan
| | - Omaya Dudin
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Arnau Sebé-Pedrós
- CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
- ICREA, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alex de Mendoza
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Fromm A, Hevroni G, Vincent F, Schatz D, Martinez-Gutierrez CA, Aylward FO, Vardi A. Single-cell RNA-seq of the rare virosphere reveals the native hosts of giant viruses in the marine environment. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:1619-1629. [PMID: 38605173 PMCID: PMC11265207 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01669-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Giant viruses (phylum Nucleocytoviricota) are globally distributed in aquatic ecosystems. They play fundamental roles as evolutionary drivers of eukaryotic plankton and regulators of global biogeochemical cycles. However, we lack knowledge about their native hosts, hindering our understanding of their life cycle and ecological importance. In the present study, we applied a single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) approach to samples collected during an induced algal bloom, which enabled pairing active giant viruses with their native protist hosts. We detected hundreds of single cells from multiple host lineages infected by diverse giant viruses. These host cells included members of the algal groups Chrysophycae and Prymnesiophycae, as well as heterotrophic flagellates in the class Katablepharidaceae. Katablepharids were infected with a rare Imitervirales-07 giant virus lineage expressing a large repertoire of cell-fate regulation genes. Analysis of the temporal dynamics of these host-virus interactions revealed an important role for the Imitervirales-07 in controlling the population size of the host Katablepharid population. Our results demonstrate that scRNA-seq can be used to identify previously undescribed host-virus interactions and study their ecological importance and impact.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amir Fromm
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Gur Hevroni
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Google Geo, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Flora Vincent
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biological Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniella Schatz
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Frank O Aylward
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-Borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
| | - Assaf Vardi
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Tang-Siegel GG, Maughan DW, Frownfelter MB, Light AR. Mitochondrial DNA Missense Mutations ChrMT: 8981A > G and ChrMT: 6268C > T Identified in a Caucasian Female with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Triggered by the Epstein-Barr Virus. Case Rep Genet 2024; 2024:6475425. [PMID: 38756740 PMCID: PMC11098598 DOI: 10.1155/2024/6475425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a multisystem disabling disease with unclear etiology and pathophysiology, whose typical symptoms include prolonged debilitating recovery from fatigue or postexertional malaise (PEM). Disrupted production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the intracellular energy that fuels cellular activity, is a cause for fatigue. Here, we present a long-term case of ME/CFS: a 75-year-old Caucasian female patient, whose symptoms of ME/CFS were clearly triggered by an acute infection of the Epstein-Barr virus 24 years ago (mononucleosis). Before then, the patient was a healthy professional woman. A recent DNA sequence analysis identified missense variants of mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes, including ATP6 (ChrMT: 8981A > G; Q152R) and Cox1 (ChrMT: 6268C > T; A122V). Protein subunits ATP6 and Cox1 are encoded by mitochondrial DNA outside of the nucleus: the Cox1 gene encodes subunit 1 of complex IV (CIV: cytochrome c oxidase) and the ATP6 gene encodes subunit A of complex V (CV: ATP synthase). CIV and CV are the last two of five essential enzymes that perform the mitochondrial electron transport respiratory chain reaction to generate ATP. Further analysis of the blood sample using transmission electron microscopy demonstrated abnormal, circulating, extracellular mitochondria. These results indicate that the patient had dysfunctional mitochondria, which may contribute directly to her major symptoms, including PEM and neurological and cognitive changes. Furthermore, the identified variants of ATP6 (ChrMT: 8981A > G; Q152R) and Cox1 (ChrMT: 6268C > T; A122V), functioning at a later stage of mitochondrial ATP production, may play a role in the abnormality of the patient's mitochondria and the development of her ME/CFS symptoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gaoyan G. Tang-Siegel
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - David W. Maughan
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | | | - Alan R. Light
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Minch B, Chakraborty M, Purkis S, Rodrigue M, Moniruzzaman M. Active prokaryotic and eukaryotic viral ecology across spatial scale in a deep-sea brine pool. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:ycae084. [PMID: 39021441 PMCID: PMC11252502 DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycae084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Deep-sea brine pools represent rare, extreme environments, providing unique insight into the limits of life on Earth, and by analogy, the plausibility of life beyond it. A distinguishing feature of many brine pools is presence of thick microbial mats that develop at the brine-seawater interface. While these bacterial and archaeal communities have received moderate attention, viruses and their host interactions in these environments remain underexplored. To bridge this knowledge gap, we leveraged metagenomic and metatranscriptomic data from three distinct zones within the NEOM brine pool system (Gulf of Aqaba) to reveal the active viral ecology around the pools. We report a remarkable diversity and activity of viruses infecting microbial hosts in this environment, including giant viruses, RNA viruses, jumbo phages, and Polinton-like viruses. Many of these form distinct clades-suggesting presence of untapped viral diversity in this ecosystem. Brine pool viral communities exhibit zone-specific differences in infection strategy-with lysogeny dominating the bacterial mat further away from the pool's center. We linked viruses to metabolically important prokaryotes-including association between a jumbo phage and a key manganese-oxidizing and arsenic-metabolizing bacterium. These foundational results illuminate the role of viruses in modulating brine pool microbial communities and biogeochemistry through revealing novel viral diversity, host associations, and spatial heterogeneity in viral dynamics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Minch
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33149, United States
| | - Morgan Chakraborty
- Department of Marine Geosciences, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33149, United States
| | - Sam Purkis
- Department of Marine Geosciences, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33149, United States
| | | | - Mohammad Moniruzzaman
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33149, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Abstract
Long-read sequencing of a marine stramenopile genome yields a trove of insights into protist genomics and solves a 50-year-old viral mystery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frank O Aylward
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-Borne Pathogens, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ha AD, Aylward FO. Automated classification of giant virus genomes using a random forest model built on trademark protein families. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.10.566645. [PMID: 38014039 PMCID: PMC10680617 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.10.566645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Viruses of the phylum Nucleocytoviricota , often referred to as "giant viruses," are prevalent in various environments around the globe and play significant roles in shaping eukaryotic diversity and activities in global ecosystems. Given the extensive phylogenetic diversity within this viral group and the highly complex composition of their genomes, taxonomic classification of giant viruses, particularly incomplete metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) can present a considerable challenge. Here we developed TIGTOG ( T axonomic Information of G iant viruses using T rademark O rthologous G roups), a machine learning-based approach to predict the taxonomic classification of novel giant virus MAGs based on profiles of protein family content. We applied a random forest algorithm to a training set of 1,531 quality-checked, phylogenetically diverse Nucleocytoviricota genomes using pre-selected sets of giant virus orthologous groups (GVOGs). The classification models were predictive of viral taxonomic assignments with a cross-validation accuracy of 99.6% to the order level and 97.3% to the family level. We found that no individual GVOGs or genome features significantly influenced the algorithm's performance or the models' predictions, indicating that classification predictions were based on a comprehensive genomic signature, which reduced the necessity of a fixed set of marker genes for taxonomic assigning purposes. Our classification models were validated with an independent test set of 823 giant virus genomes with varied genomic completeness and taxonomy and demonstrated an accuracy of 98.6% and 95.9% to the order and family level, respectively. Our results indicate that protein family profiles can be used to accurately classify large DNA viruses at different taxonomic levels and provide a fast and accurate method for the classification of giant viruses. This approach could easily be adapted to other viral groups.
Collapse
|
7
|
Aylward FO, Abrahão JS, Brussaard CPD, Fischer MG, Moniruzzaman M, Ogata H, Suttle CA. Taxonomic update for giant viruses in the order Imitervirales (phylum Nucleocytoviricota). Arch Virol 2023; 168:283. [PMID: 37904060 PMCID: PMC11230039 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-023-05906-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Large DNA viruses in the phylum Nucleocytoviricota, sometimes referred to as "giant viruses" owing to their large genomes and virions, have been the subject of burgeoning interest over the last decade. Here, we describe recently adopted taxonomic updates for giant viruses within the order Imitervirales. The families Allomimiviridae, Mesomimiviridae, and Schizomimiviridae have been created to accommodate the increasing diversity of mimivirus relatives that have sometimes been referred to in the literature as "extended Mimiviridae". In addition, the subfamilies Aliimimivirinae, Megamimivirinae, and Klosneuvirinae have been established to refer to subgroups of the Mimiviridae. Binomial names have also been adopted for all recognized species in the order. For example, Acanthamoeba polyphaga mimivirus is now classified in the species Mimivirus bradfordmassiliense.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frank O Aylward
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-Borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
| | - Jonatas S Abrahão
- Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Corina P D Brussaard
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, The Netherlands
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthias G Fischer
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Department of Biomolecular Mechanisms, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mohammad Moniruzzaman
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33149, USA
| | - Hiroyuki Ogata
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, 611-0011, Japan
| | - Curtis A Suttle
- Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|