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Martin V, Guerra B, Hernaez B, Kappler-Gratias S, Gallardo F, Guerra M, Andres G, Alejo A. A novel live DNA tagging system for African swine fever virus shows that bisbenzimide Hoechst 33342 can effectively block its replication. Antiviral Res 2024:105973. [PMID: 39168188 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.105973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 07/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
African swine fever virus (ASFV) infection causes a frequently fatal disease in domestic swine that has affected more than 50 countries worldwide since 2021, with a major impact on animal welfare and economy. The development of effective vaccines or antivirals against this disease are urgently required for its effective control. Live detection of viral replication has been used as a tool for the screening and characterization of antiviral compounds in other dsDNA genome containing viruses. Here, we have adapted the ANCHOR fluorescent DNA labelling system to ASFV by constructing and characterizing a novel recombinant virus. We show that this virus is viable and effectively tags viral DNA replication sites, which can be detected and quantified in real time. Further, we have used high content cell microscopy to test the antiviral activity of bisbenzimide compounds and show that Hoechst 33342 has specific anti-ASFV activity. We expect this novel tool to be useful both in the further study of ASFV replication as in the screening of new specific antiviral compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Martin
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 28130 Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Beatriz Guerra
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 28130 Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Bruno Hernaez
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049-Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Franck Gallardo
- NeoVirTech SAS, 1 Place Pierre Potier, 31000 Toulouse, France.
| | - Milagros Guerra
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049-Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain.
| | - German Andres
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 28130 Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Ali Alejo
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 28130 Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain.
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2
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Pyle JD, Lund SR, O'Toole KH, Saleh L. Virus-encoded glycosyltransferases hypermodify DNA with diverse glycans. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114631. [PMID: 39154342 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Enzymatic modification of DNA nucleobases can coordinate gene expression, nuclease protection, or mutagenesis. We recently discovered a clade of phage-specific cytosine methyltransferase (MT) and 5-methylpyrimidine dioxygenase (5mYOX) enzymes that produce 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) as a precursor for enzymatic hypermodifications on viral genomes. Here, we identify phage MT- and 5mYOX-associated glycosyltransferases (GTs) that catalyze linkage of diverse sugars to 5hmC nucleobase substrates. Metavirome mining revealed thousands of biosynthetic gene clusters containing enzymes with predicted roles in cytosine sugar hypermodification. We developed a platform for high-throughput screening of GT-containing pathways, relying on the Escherichia coli metabolome as a substrate pool. We successfully reconstituted several pathways and isolated diverse sugar modifications appended to cytosine, including mono-, di-, or tri-saccharides comprised of hexoses, N-acetylhexosamines, or heptose. These findings expand our knowledge of hypermodifications on nucleic acids and the origins of corresponding sugar-installing enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse D Pyle
- Research Department, New England Biolabs, 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | - Sean R Lund
- Research Department, New England Biolabs, 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | - Katherine H O'Toole
- Research Department, New England Biolabs, 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | - Lana Saleh
- Research Department, New England Biolabs, 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA.
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3
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Kijima S, Hikida H, Delmont TO, Gaïa M, Ogata H. Complex Genomes of Early Nucleocytoviruses Revealed by Ancient Origins of Viral Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msae149. [PMID: 39099254 PMCID: PMC11304981 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs), also known as tRNA ligases, are essential enzymes in translation. Owing to their functional essentiality, these enzymes are conserved in all domains of life and used as informative markers to trace the evolutionary history of cellular organisms. Unlike cellular organisms, viruses generally lack aaRSs because of their obligate parasitic nature, but several large and giant DNA viruses in the phylum Nucleocytoviricota encode aaRSs in their genomes. The discovery of viral aaRSs led to the idea that the phylogenetic analysis of aaRSs can shed light on ancient viral evolution. However, conflicting results have been reported from previous phylogenetic studies: one posited that nucleocytoviruses recently acquired their aaRSs from their host eukaryotes, while another hypothesized that the viral aaRSs have ancient origins. Here, we investigated 4,168 nucleocytovirus genomes, including metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) derived from large-scale metagenomic studies. In total, we identified 780 viral aaRS sequences in 273 viral genomes. We generated and examined phylogenetic trees of these aaRSs with a large set of cellular sequences to trace evolutionary relationships between viral and cellular aaRSs. The analyses suggest that the origins of some viral aaRSs predate the last common eukaryotic ancestor. Inside viral aaRS clades, we identify intricate evolutionary trajectories of viral aaRSs with horizontal transfers, losses, and displacements. Overall, these results suggest that ancestral nucleocytoviruses already developed complex genomes with an expanded set of aaRSs in the proto-eukaryotic era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soichiro Kijima
- Chemical Life Science, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Hikida
- Chemical Life Science, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Tom O Delmont
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ. Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France
| | - Morgan Gaïa
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ. Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France
| | - Hiroyuki Ogata
- Chemical Life Science, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
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4
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Wu J, Meng L, Gaïa M, Hikida H, Okazaki Y, Endo H, Ogata H. Gene Transfer Among Viruses Substantially Contributes to Gene Gain of Giant Viruses. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msae161. [PMID: 39093595 PMCID: PMC11334073 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The phylum Nucleocytoviricota comprises a diverse group of double-stranded DNA viruses that display a wide range of gene repertoires. Although these gene repertoires determine the characteristics of individual viruses, the evolutionary processes that have shaped the gene repertoires of extant viruses since their common ancestor are poorly characterized. In this study, we aimed to address this gap in knowledge by using amalgamated likelihood estimation, a probabilistic tree reconciliation method that infers evolutionary scenarios by distinguishing origination, gene duplications, virus-to-virus horizontal gene transfer (vHGT), and gene losses. We analyzed over 4,700 gene families from 195 genomes spanning all known viral orders. The evolutionary reconstruction suggests a history of extensive gene gains and losses during the evolution of these viruses, notably with vHGT contributing to gene gains at a comparable level to duplications and originations. The vHGT frequently occurred between phylogenetically closely related viruses, as well as between distantly related viruses with an overlapping host range. We observed a pattern of massive gene duplications that followed vHGTs for gene families that was potentially related to host range control and virus-host arms race. These results suggest that vHGT represents a previously overlooked, yet important, evolutionary force that integrates the evolutionary paths of multiple viruses and affects shaping of Nucleocytoviricota virus gene repertoires.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyi Wu
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji 611-0011, Japan
| | - Lingjie Meng
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji 611-0011, Japan
| | - Morgan Gaïa
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ. Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry F-91057, France
- Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, Paris F-75016, France
| | - Hiroyuki Hikida
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji 611-0011, Japan
| | - Yusuke Okazaki
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji 611-0011, Japan
| | - Hisashi Endo
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji 611-0011, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Ogata
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji 611-0011, Japan
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5
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Denison ER, Zepernick BN, McKay RML, Wilhelm SW. Metatranscriptomic analysis reveals dissimilarity in viral community activity between an ice-free and ice-covered winter in Lake Erie. mSystems 2024; 9:e0075324. [PMID: 38940524 PMCID: PMC11264689 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00753-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Winter is a relatively under-studied season in freshwater ecology. The paucity of wintertime surveys has led to a lack of knowledge regarding microbial community activity during the winter in Lake Erie, a North American Great Lake. Viruses shape microbial communities and regulate biogeochemical cycles by acting as top-down controls, yet very few efforts have been made to examine active virus populations during the winter in Lake Erie. Furthermore, climate change-driven declines in seasonal ice cover have been shown to influence microbial community structure, but no studies have compared viral community activity between different ice cover conditions. We surveyed surface water metatranscriptomes for viral hallmark genes as a proxy for active virus populations and compared activity metrics between ice-covered and ice-free conditions from two sampled winters. Transcriptionally active viral communities were detected in both winters, spanning diverse phylogenetic clades of putative bacteriophage (Caudoviricetes), giant viruses (Nucleocytoviricota, or NCLDV), and RNA viruses (Orthornavirae). However, viral community activity metrics revealed pronounced differences between the ice-covered and ice-free winters. Viral community composition was distinct between winters and viral hallmark gene richness was reduced in the ice-covered relative to the ice-free conditions. In addition, the observed differences in viral communities correlated with microbial community activity metrics. Overall, these findings contribute to our understanding of the viral populations that are active during the winter in Lake Erie and suggest that viral community activity may be associated with ice cover extent.IMPORTANCEAs seasonal ice cover is projected to become increasingly rare on large temperate lakes, there is a need to understand how microbial communities might respond to changing ice conditions. Although it is widely recognized that viruses impact microbial community structure and function, there is little known regarding wintertime viral activity or the relationship between viral activity and ice cover extent. Our metatranscriptomic analyses indicated that viruses were transcriptionally active in the winter surface waters of Lake Erie. These findings also expanded the known diversity of viral lineages in the Great Lakes. Notably, viral community activity metrics were significantly different between the two sampled winters. The pronounced differences we observed in active viral communities between the ice-covered and ice-free samples merit further research regarding how viral communities will function in future, potentially ice-free, freshwater systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - R. Michael L. McKay
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Steven W. Wilhelm
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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Liang JL, Feng SW, Jia P, Lu JL, Yi X, Gao SM, Wu ZH, Liao B, Shu WS, Li JT. Unraveling the habitat preferences, ecological drivers, potential hosts, and auxiliary metabolism of soil giant viruses across China. MICROBIOME 2024; 12:136. [PMID: 39039586 PMCID: PMC11265010 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01851-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Soil giant viruses are increasingly believed to have profound effects on ecological functioning by infecting diverse eukaryotes. However, their biogeography and ecology remain poorly understood. RESULTS In this study, we analyzed 333 soil metagenomes from 5 habitat types (farmland, forest, grassland, Gobi desert, and mine wasteland) across China and identified 533 distinct giant virus phylotypes affiliated with nine families, thereby greatly expanding the diversity of soil giant viruses. Among the nine families, Pithoviridae were the most diverse. The majority of phylotypes exhibited a heterogeneous distribution among habitat types, with a remarkably high proportion of unique phylotypes in mine wasteland. The abundances of phylotypes were negatively correlated with their environmental ranges. A total of 76 phylotypes recovered in this study were detectable in a published global topsoil metagenome dataset. Among climatic, geographical, edaphic, and biotic characteristics, soil eukaryotes were identified as the most important driver of beta-diversity of giant viral communities across habitat types. Moreover, co-occurrence network analysis revealed some pairings between giant viral phylotypes and eukaryotes (protozoa, fungi, and algae). Analysis of 44 medium- to high-quality giant virus genomes recovered from our metagenomes uncovered not only their highly shared functions but also their novel auxiliary metabolic genes related to carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus cycling. CONCLUSIONS These findings extend our knowledge of diversity, habitat preferences, ecological drivers, potential hosts, and auxiliary metabolism of soil giant viruses. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie-Liang Liang
- Institute of Ecological Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, People's Republic of China
| | - Shi-Wei Feng
- Institute of Ecological Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, People's Republic of China
| | - Pu Jia
- Institute of Ecological Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing-Li Lu
- Institute of Ecological Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinzhu Yi
- Institute of Ecological Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, People's Republic of China
| | - Shao-Ming Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhuo-Hui Wu
- Institute of Ecological Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Liao
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Sheng Shu
- Institute of Ecological Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, People's Republic of China
| | - Jin-Tian Li
- Institute of Ecological Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, People's Republic of China.
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7
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Sloan DB, Broz AK, Kuster SA, Muthye V, Peñafiel-Ayala A, Marron JR, Lavrov DV, Brieba LG. Expansion of the MutS Gene Family in Plants. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.17.603841. [PMID: 39071318 PMCID: PMC11275761 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.17.603841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
The MutS gene family is distributed across the tree of life and is involved in recombination, DNA repair, and protein translation. Multiple evolutionary processes have expanded the set of MutS genes in plants relative to other eukaryotes. Here, we investigate the origins and functions of these plant-specific genes. Land plants, green algae, red algae, and glaucophytes share cyanobacterial-like MutS1 and MutS2 genes that presumably were gained via plastid endosymbiotic gene transfer. MutS1 was subsequently lost in some taxa, including seed plants, whereas MutS2 was duplicated in Viridiplantae (i.e., land plants and green algae) with widespread retention of both resulting paralogs. Viridiplantae also have two anciently duplicated copies of the eukaryotic MSH6 gene (i.e., MSH6 and MSH7) and acquired MSH1 via horizontal gene transfer - potentially from a nucleocytovirus. Despite sharing the same name, "plant MSH1" is not directly related to the gene known as MSH1 in some fungi and animals, which may be an ancestral eukaryotic gene acquired via mitochondrial endosymbiosis and subsequently lost in most eukaryotic lineages. There has been substantial progress in understanding the functions of MSH1 and MSH6/MSH7 in plants, but the roles of the cyanobacterial-like MutS1 and MutS2 genes remain uncharacterized. Known functions of bacterial homologs and predicted protein structures, including fusions to diverse nuclease domains, provide hypotheses about potential molecular mechanisms. Because most plant-specific MutS proteins are targeted to the mitochondria and/or plastids, the expansion of this family appears to have played a large role in shaping plant organelle genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel B Sloan
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Amanda K Broz
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Shady A Kuster
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Viraj Muthye
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Alejandro Peñafiel-Ayala
- Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato, Gto, México
| | - Jennifer R Marron
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Dennis V Lavrov
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Luis G Brieba
- Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato, Gto, México
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Yutin N, Mutz P, Krupovic M, Koonin EV. Mriyaviruses: small relatives of giant viruses. mBio 2024; 15:e0103524. [PMID: 38832788 PMCID: PMC11253617 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01035-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The phylum Nucleocytoviricota consists of large and giant viruses that range in genome size from about 100 kilobases (kb) to more than 2.5 megabases. Here, using metagenome mining followed by extensive phylogenomic analysis and protein structure comparison, we delineate a distinct group of viruses with double-stranded (ds) DNA genomes in the range of 35-45 kb that appear to be related to the Nucleocytoviricota. In phylogenetic trees of the conserved double jelly-roll major capsid proteins (MCPs) and DNA packaging ATPases, these viruses do not show affinity to any particular branch of the Nucleocytoviricota and accordingly would comprise a class which we propose to name "Mriyaviricetes" (after Ukrainian "mriya," dream). Structural comparison of the MCP suggests that, among the extant virus lineages, mriyaviruses are the closest one to the ancestor of the Nucleocytoviricota. In the phylogenetic trees, mriyaviruses split into two well-separated branches, the family Yaraviridae and proposed new family "Gamadviridae." The previously characterized members of these families, yaravirus and Pleurochrysis sp. endemic viruses, infect amoeba and haptophytes, respectively. The genomes of the rest of the mriyaviruses were assembled from metagenomes from diverse environments, suggesting that mriyaviruses infect various unicellular eukaryotes. Mriyaviruses lack DNA polymerase, which is encoded by all other members of the Nucleocytoviricota, and RNA polymerase subunits encoded by all cytoplasmic viruses among the Nucleocytoviricota, suggesting that they replicate in the host cell nuclei. All mriyaviruses encode a HUH superfamily endonuclease that is likely to be essential for the initiation of virus DNA replication via the rolling circle mechanism. IMPORTANCE The origin of giant viruses of eukaryotes that belong to the phylum Nucleocytoviricota is not thoroughly understood and remains a matter of major interest and debate. Here, we combine metagenome database searches with extensive protein sequence and structure analysis to describe a distinct group of viruses with comparatively small genomes of 35-45 kilobases that appear to comprise a distinct class within the phylum Nucleocytoviricota that we provisionally named "Mriyaviricetes." Mriyaviruses appear to be the closest identified relatives of the ancestors of the Nucleocytoviricota. Analysis of proteins encoded in mriyavirus genomes suggests that they replicate their genome via the rolling circle mechanism that is unusual among viruses with double-stranded DNA genomes and so far not described for members of Nucleocytoviricota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalya Yutin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Pascal Mutz
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Mart Krupovic
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Archaeal Virology Unit, Paris, France
| | - Eugene V. Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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9
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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.
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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
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10
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Barth ZK, Hicklin I, Thézé J, Takatsuka J, Nakai M, Herniou EA, Brown AM, Aylward FO. Genomic analysis of hyperparasitic viruses associated with entomopoxviruses. Virus Evol 2024; 10:veae051. [PMID: 39100687 PMCID: PMC11296320 DOI: 10.1093/ve/veae051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Polinton-like viruses (PLVs) are a diverse group of small integrative dsDNA viruses that infect diverse eukaryotic hosts. Many PLVs are hypothesized to parasitize viruses in the phylum Nucleocytoviricota for their own propagation and spread. Here, we analyze the genomes of novel PLVs associated with the occlusion bodies of entomopoxvirus (EPV) infections of two separate lepidopteran hosts. The presence of these elements within EPV occlusion bodies suggests that they are the first known hyperparasites of poxviruses. We find that these PLVs belong to two distinct lineages that are highly diverged from known PLVs. These PLVs possess mosaic genomes, and some essential genes share homology with mobile genes within EPVs. Based on this homology and observed PLV mosaicism, we propose a mechanism to explain the turnover of PLV replication and integration genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary K Barth
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Ian Hicklin
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Julien Thézé
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR EPIA, Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France
| | - Jun Takatsuka
- Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan
| | - Madoka Nakai
- Institute of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Saiwai, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
| | - Elisabeth A Herniou
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR7261 CNRS-Université de Tours, 20 Avenue Monge, Parc de Grandmont, Tours 37200, France
| | - Anne M Brown
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-Borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, 1981 Kraft Dr, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Research and Informatics, University Libraries, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Frank O Aylward
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-Borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, 1981 Kraft Dr, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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11
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Romero MF, Krall JB, Nichols PJ, Vantreeck J, Henen MA, Dejardin E, Schulz F, Vicens Q, Vögeli B, Diallo MA. Novel Z-DNA binding domains in giant viruses. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107504. [PMID: 38944123 PMCID: PMC11298590 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Z-nucleic acid structures play vital roles in cellular processes and have implications in innate immunity due to their recognition by Zα domains containing proteins (Z-DNA/Z-RNA binding proteins, ZBPs). Although Zα domains have been identified in six proteins, including viral E3L, ORF112, and I73R, as well as, cellular ADAR1, ZBP1, and PKZ, their prevalence across living organisms remains largely unexplored. In this study, we introduce a computational approach to predict Zα domains, leading to the revelation of previously unidentified Zα domain-containing proteins in eukaryotic organisms, including non-metazoan species. Our findings encompass the discovery of new ZBPs in previously unexplored giant viruses, members of the Nucleocytoviricota phylum. Through experimental validation, we confirm the Zα functionality of select proteins, establishing their capability to induce the B-to-Z conversion. Additionally, we identify Zα-like domains within bacterial proteins. While these domains share certain features with Zα domains, they lack the ability to bind to Z-nucleic acids or facilitate the B-to-Z DNA conversion. Our findings significantly expand the ZBP family across a wide spectrum of organisms and raise intriguing questions about the evolutionary origins of Zα-containing proteins. Moreover, our study offers fresh perspectives on the functional significance of Zα domains in virus sensing and innate immunity and opens avenues for exploring hitherto undiscovered functions of ZBPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel F Romero
- DOE Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Jeffrey B Krall
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado at Denver, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Parker J Nichols
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado at Denver, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Jillian Vantreeck
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado at Denver, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Morkos A Henen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado at Denver, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Emmanuel Dejardin
- GIGA I3 - Molecular Immunology and Signal Transduction, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Frederik Schulz
- DOE Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA.
| | - Quentin Vicens
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Beat Vögeli
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado at Denver, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
| | - Mamadou Amadou Diallo
- GIGA I3 - Molecular Immunology and Signal Transduction, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
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12
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de Azevedo BL, Queiroz VF, de Aquino ILM, Machado TB, de Assis FL, Reis E, Araújo Júnior JP, Ullmann LS, Colson P, Greub G, Aylward F, Rodrigues RAL, Abrahão JS. The genomic and phylogenetic analysis of Marseillevirus cajuinensis raises questions about the evolution of Marseilleviridae lineages and their taxonomical organization. J Virol 2024; 98:e0051324. [PMID: 38752754 PMCID: PMC11237802 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00513-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Marseilleviruses (MsV) are a group of viruses that compose the Marseilleviridae family within the Nucleocytoviricota phylum. They have been found in different samples, mainly in freshwater. MsV are classically organized into five phylogenetic lineages (A/B/C/D/E), but the current taxonomy does not fully represent all the diversity of the MsV lineages. Here, we describe a novel strain isolated from a Brazilian saltwater sample named Marseillevirus cajuinensis. Based on genomics and phylogenetic analyses, M. cajuinensis exhibits a 380,653-bp genome that encodes 515 open reading frames. Additionally, M. cajuinensis encodes a transfer RNA, a feature that is rarely described for Marseilleviridae. Phylogeny suggests that M. cajuinensis forms a divergent branch within the MsV lineage A. Furthermore, our analysis suggests that the common ancestor for the five classical lineages of MsV diversified into three major groups. The organization of MsV into three main groups is reinforced by a comprehensive analysis of clusters of orthologous groups, sequence identities, and evolutionary distances considering several MsV isolates. Taken together, our results highlight the importance of discovering new viruses to expand the knowledge about known viruses that belong to the same lineages or families. This work proposes a new perspective on the Marseilleviridae lineages organization that could be helpful to a future update in the taxonomy of the Marseilleviridae family. IMPORTANCE Marseilleviridae is a family of viruses whose members were mostly isolated from freshwater samples. In this work, we describe the first Marseillevirus isolated from saltwater samples, which we called Marseillevirus cajuinensis. Most of M. cajuinensis genomic features are comparable to other Marseilleviridae members, such as its high number of unknown proteins. On the other hand, M. cajuinensis encodes a transfer RNA, which is a gene category involved in protein translation that is rarely described in this viral family. Additionally, our phylogenetic analyses suggested the existence of, at least, three major Marseilleviridae groups. These observations provide a new perspective on Marseilleviridae lineages organization, which will be valuable in future updates to the taxonomy of the family since the current official classification does not capture all the Marseilleviridae known diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna Luiza de Azevedo
- Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Victória Fulgêncio Queiroz
- Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Isabella Luiza Martins de Aquino
- Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Talita Bastos Machado
- Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Felipe Lopes de Assis
- Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Erik Reis
- Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - João Pessoa Araújo Júnior
- Laboratório de Virologia, Departamento de Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Alameda das Tecomarias s/n, Chácara Capão Bonito, Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Leila Sabrina Ullmann
- Laboratório de Virologia, Departamento de Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Alameda das Tecomarias s/n, Chácara Capão Bonito, Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Philippe Colson
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Microbes Evolution Phylogeny and Infections (MEPHI), Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille (AP-HM), Marseille, France
| | - Gilbert Greub
- Centre for Research on Intracellular Bacteria and Giant Viruses, Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital Centre and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Frank Aylward
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-Borne Infectious Disease Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Rodrigo Araújo Lima Rodrigues
- Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Jônatas Santos Abrahão
- Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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13
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Queiroz VF, Rodrigues RAL, Abrahão JS. A taxonomic proposal for cedratviruses, orpheoviruses, and pithoviruses. Arch Virol 2024; 169:132. [PMID: 38822903 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-024-06055-x] [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: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Orpheoviruses, cedratviruses, and pithoviruses are large DNA viruses that cluster together taxonomically within the order Pimascovirales of the phylum Nucleocytoviricota. However, they were not classified previously by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV). Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of the gene content, morphology, and phylogenomics of these viruses, providing data that underpinned the recent proposal to establish new taxa for their initial classification. The new taxonomy, which has now been ratified by the ICTV, includes the family Orpheoviridae and genus Alphaorpheovirus, the family Pithoviridae and genus Alphapithovirus, and the family Cedratviridae and genus Alphacedratvirus, aiming to formally catalogue the isolates covered in this study. Additionally, as per the newly adopted rules, we applied standardized binomial names for the virus species created to classify isolates with complete genome sequences available in public databases at the time of the proposal. The specific epithet of each virus species was chosen as a reference to the location where the exemplar virus was isolated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victória F Queiroz
- Laboratório de Vírus, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, MG, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo A L Rodrigues
- Laboratório de Vírus, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, MG, Brazil
| | - Jônatas Santos Abrahão
- Laboratório de Vírus, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, MG, Brazil.
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14
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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.
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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.
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15
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Perini L, Sipes K, Zervas A, Bellas C, Lutz S, Moniruzzaman M, Mourot R, Benning LG, Tranter M, Anesio AM. Giant viral signatures on the Greenland ice sheet. MICROBIOME 2024; 12:91. [PMID: 38760842 PMCID: PMC11100222 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01796-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dark pigmented snow and glacier ice algae on glaciers and ice sheets contribute to accelerating melt. The biological controls on these algae, particularly the role of viruses, remain poorly understood. Giant viruses, classified under the nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDV) supergroup (phylum Nucleocytoviricota), are diverse and globally distributed. NCLDVs are known to infect eukaryotic cells in marine and freshwater environments, providing a biological control on the algal population in these ecosystems. However, there is very limited information on the diversity and ecosystem function of NCLDVs in terrestrial icy habitats. RESULTS In this study, we investigate for the first time giant viruses and their host connections on ice and snow habitats, such as cryoconite, dark ice, ice core, red and green snow, and genomic assemblies of five cultivated Chlorophyta snow algae. Giant virus marker genes were present in almost all samples; the highest abundances were recovered from red snow and the snow algae genomic assemblies, followed by green snow and dark ice. The variety of active algae and protists in these GrIS habitats containing NCLDV marker genes suggests that infection can occur on a range of eukaryotic hosts. Metagenomic data from red and green snow contained evidence of giant virus metagenome-assembled genomes from the orders Imitervirales, Asfuvirales, and Algavirales. CONCLUSION Our study highlights NCLDV family signatures in snow and ice samples from the Greenland ice sheet. Giant virus metagenome-assembled genomes (GVMAGs) were found in red snow samples, and related NCLDV marker genes were identified for the first time in snow algal culture genomic assemblies; implying a relationship between the NCLDVs and snow algae. Metatranscriptomic viral genes also aligned with metagenomic sequences, suggesting that NCLDVs are an active component of the microbial community and are potential "top-down" controls of the eukaryotic algal and protistan members. This study reveals the unprecedented presence of a diverse community of NCLDVs in a variety of glacial habitats dominated by algae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Perini
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, 4000, Denmark.
| | - Katie Sipes
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, 4000, Denmark
| | - Athanasios Zervas
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, 4000, Denmark
| | | | - Stefanie Lutz
- Department of Agroecology and Environment, Plant-Soil Interactions, Agroscope, Zurich, Switzerland
- German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Telegrafenberg, Potsdam, 14473, Germany
| | - Mohammad Moniruzzaman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Rey Mourot
- German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Telegrafenberg, Potsdam, 14473, Germany
- Department of Earth Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, 12249, Germany
| | - Liane G Benning
- German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Telegrafenberg, Potsdam, 14473, Germany
- Department of Earth Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, 12249, Germany
| | - Martyn Tranter
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, 4000, Denmark
| | - Alexandre M Anesio
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, 4000, Denmark
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16
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Stephens D, Faghihi Z, Moniruzzaman M. Widespread occurrence and diverse origins of polintoviruses influence lineage-specific genome dynamics in stony corals. Virus Evol 2024; 10:veae039. [PMID: 38808038 PMCID: PMC11131425 DOI: 10.1093/ve/veae039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Stony corals (Order: Scleractinia) are central to vital marine habitats known as coral reefs. Numerous stressors in the Anthropocene are contributing to the ongoing decline in coral reef health and coverage. While viruses are established modulators of marine microbial dynamics, their interactions within the coral holobiont and impact on coral health and physiology remain unclear. To address this key knowledge gap, we investigated diverse stony coral genomes for 'endogenous' viruses. Our study uncovered a remarkable number of integrated viral elements recognized as 'Polintoviruses' (Class Polintoviricetes) in thirty Scleractinia genomes; with several species harboring hundreds to thousands of polintoviruses. We reveal massive paralogous expansion of polintoviruses in stony coral genomes, alongside the presence of integrated elements closely related to Polinton-like viruses (PLVs), a group of viruses that exist as free virions. These results suggest multiple integrations of polintoviruses and PLV-relatives, along with paralogous expansions, shaped stony coral genomes. Re-analysis of existing gene expression data reveals all polintovirus structural and non-structural hallmark genes are expressed, providing support for free virion production from polintoviruses. Our results, revealing a significant diversity of polintovirus across the Scleractinia order, open a new research avenue into polintovirus and their possible roles in disease, genomic plasticity, and environmental adaptation in this key group of organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danae Stephens
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, The Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149-1031, USA
| | - Zahra Faghihi
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, The Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149-1031, USA
| | - Mohammad Moniruzzaman
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, The Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149-1031, USA
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17
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Felipe Benites L, Stephens TG, Van Etten J, James T, Christian WC, Barry K, Grigoriev IV, McDermott TR, Bhattacharya D. Hot springs viruses at Yellowstone National Park have ancient origins and are adapted to thermophilic hosts. Commun Biol 2024; 7:312. [PMID: 38594478 PMCID: PMC11003980 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05931-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Geothermal springs house unicellular red algae in the class Cyanidiophyceae that dominate the microbial biomass at these sites. Little is known about host-virus interactions in these environments. We analyzed the virus community associated with red algal mats in three neighboring habitats (creek, endolithic, soil) at Lemonade Creek, Yellowstone National Park (YNP), USA. We find that despite proximity, each habitat houses a unique collection of viruses, with the giant viruses, Megaviricetes, dominant in all three. The early branching phylogenetic position of genes encoded on metagenome assembled virus genomes (vMAGs) suggests that the YNP lineages are of ancient origin and not due to multiple invasions from mesophilic habitats. The existence of genomic footprints of adaptation to thermophily in the vMAGs is consistent with this idea. The Cyanidiophyceae at geothermal sites originated ca. 1.5 Bya and are therefore relevant to understanding biotic interactions on the early Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Felipe Benites
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Timothy G Stephens
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Julia Van Etten
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
- Graduate Program in Ecology and Evolution, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Timeeka James
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - William C Christian
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Kerrie Barry
- U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Igor V Grigoriev
- U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Timothy R McDermott
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Debashish Bhattacharya
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
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18
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Yutin N, Mutz P, Krupovic M, Koonin EV. Mriyaviruses: Small Relatives of Giant Viruses. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.29.582850. [PMID: 38529486 PMCID: PMC10962738 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.29.582850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
The phylum Nucleocytoviricota consists of large and giant viruses that range in genome size from about 100 kilobases (kb) to more than 2.5 megabases. Here, using metagenome mining followed by extensive phylogenomic analysis and protein structure comparison, we delineate a distinct group of viruses with double-stranded (ds) DNA genomes in the range of 35-45 kb that appear to be related to the Nucleocytoviricota. In phylogenetic trees of the conserved double jelly-roll major capsid proteins (MCP) and DNA packaging ATPases, these viruses do not show affinity to any particular branch of the Nucleocytoviricota and accordingly would comprise a class which we propose to name "Mriyaviricetes" (after Ukrainian Mriya, dream). Structural comparison of the MCP suggests that, among the extant virus lineages, mriyaviruses are the closest one to the ancestor of the Nucleocytoviricota. In the phylogenetic trees, mriyaviruses split into two well-separated branches, the family Yaraviridae and proposed new family "Gamadviridae". The previously characterized members of these families, Yaravirus and Pleurochrysis sp. endemic viruses, infect amoeba and haptophytes, respectively. The genomes of the rest of the mriyaviruses were assembled from metagenomes from diverse environments, suggesting that mriyaviruses infect various unicellular eukaryotes. Mriyaviruses lack DNA polymerase, which is encoded by all other members of the Nucleocytoviricota, and RNA polymerase subunits encoded by all cytoplasmic viruses among the Nucleocytoviricota, suggesting that they replicate in the host cell nuclei. All mriyaviruses encode a HUH superfamily endonuclease that is likely to be essential for the initiation of virus DNA replication via the rolling circle mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalya Yutin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Pascal Mutz
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Mart Krupovic
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Archaeal Virology Unit, Paris 75015, France
| | - Eugene V. Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
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19
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Vieira HH, Bulzu PA, Kasalický V, Haber M, Znachor P, Piwosz K, Ghai R. Isolation of a widespread giant virus implicated in cryptophyte bloom collapse. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae029. [PMID: 38401169 PMCID: PMC10960955 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Photosynthetic cryptophytes are ubiquitous protists that are major participants in the freshwater phytoplankton bloom at the onset of spring. Mortality due to change in environmental conditions and grazing have been recognized as key factors contributing to bloom collapse. In contrast, the role of viral outbreaks as factors terminating phytoplankton blooms remains unknown from freshwaters. Here, we isolated and characterized a cryptophyte virus contributing to the annual collapse of a natural cryptophyte spring bloom population. This viral isolate is also representative for a clade of abundant giant viruses (phylum Nucleocytoviricota) found in freshwaters all over the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena H Vieira
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Paul-Adrian Bulzu
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtěch Kasalický
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Markus Haber
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Znachor
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Kasia Piwosz
- Department of Fisheries Oceanography and Marine Ecology, National Marine Fisheries Research Institute, 81-332 Gdynia, Poland
| | - Rohit Ghai
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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20
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Williams TA, Davin AA, Szánthó LL, Stamatakis A, Wahl NA, Woodcroft BJ, Soo RM, Eme L, Sheridan PO, Gubry-Rangin C, Spang A, Hugenholtz P, Szöllősi GJ. Phylogenetic reconciliation: making the most of genomes to understand microbial ecology and evolution. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae129. [PMID: 39001714 PMCID: PMC11293204 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, phylogenetic reconciliation has emerged as a promising approach for studying microbial ecology and evolution. The core idea is to model how gene trees evolve along a species tree and to explain differences between them via evolutionary events including gene duplications, transfers, and losses. Here, we describe how phylogenetic reconciliation provides a natural framework for studying genome evolution and highlight recent applications including ancestral gene content inference, the rooting of species trees, and the insights into metabolic evolution and ecological transitions they yield. Reconciliation analyses have elucidated the evolution of diverse microbial lineages, from Chlamydiae to Asgard archaea, shedding light on ecological adaptation, host-microbe interactions, and symbiotic relationships. However, there are many opportunities for broader application of the approach in microbiology. Continuing improvements to make reconciliation models more realistic and scalable, and integration of ecological metadata such as habitat, pH, temperature, and oxygen use offer enormous potential for understanding the rich tapestry of microbial life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom A Williams
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS81TQ, United Kingdom
| | - Adrian A Davin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 113-0033 Tokyo, Japan
| | - Lénárd L Szánthó
- MTA-ELTE “Lendület” Evolutionary Genomics Research Group, Eötvös University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
- Model-Based Evolutionary Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 904-0495 Okinawa, Japan
| | - Alexandros Stamatakis
- Biodiversity Computing Group, Institute of Computer Science, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
- Computational Molecular Evolution Group, Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, 69118 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Theoretical Informatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Noah A Wahl
- Biodiversity Computing Group, Institute of Computer Science, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Ben J Woodcroft
- Centre for Microbiome Research, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Rochelle M Soo
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Laura Eme
- Unité d’Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Paul O Sheridan
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Galway, Galway H91 TK33, Ireland
| | - Cecile Gubry-Rangin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3FX, United Kingdom
| | - Anja Spang
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, PO Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, The Netherlands
- Department of Evolutionary & Population Biology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Philip Hugenholtz
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Gergely J Szöllősi
- MTA-ELTE “Lendület” Evolutionary Genomics Research Group, Eötvös University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
- Model-Based Evolutionary Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 904-0495 Okinawa, Japan
- Institute of Evolution, HUN REN Centre for Ecological Research, 1121 Budapest, Hungary
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21
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Pitot TM, Rapp JZ, Schulz F, Girard C, Roux S, Culley AI. Distinct and rich assemblages of giant viruses in Arctic and Antarctic lakes. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:ycae048. [PMID: 38800130 PMCID: PMC11128243 DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycae048] [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: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Giant viruses (GVs) are key players in ecosystem functioning, biogeochemistry, and eukaryotic genome evolution. GV diversity and abundance in aquatic systems can exceed that of prokaryotes, but their diversity and ecology in lakes, especially polar ones, remain poorly understood. We conducted a comprehensive survey and meta-analysis of GV diversity across 20 lakes, spanning polar to temperate regions, combining our extensive lake metagenome database from the Canadian Arctic and subarctic with publicly available datasets. Leveraging a novel GV genome identification tool, we identified 3304 GV metagenome-assembled genomes, revealing lakes as untapped GV reservoirs. Phylogenomic analysis highlighted their dispersion across all Nucleocytoviricota orders. Strong GV population endemism emerged between lakes from similar regions and biomes (Antarctic and Arctic), but a polar/temperate barrier in lacustrine GV populations and differences in their gene content could be observed. Our study establishes a robust genomic reference for future investigations into lacustrine GV ecology in fast changing polar environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M Pitot
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bioinformatics, Université Laval, 2325 rue de l’Université, Québec, QC G1V0A6, Canada
- DOE Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States
- Center for Northern Studies, Université Laval, 2325 rue de l’Université, Québec, QC G1V0A6, Canada
- IBIS Institute of Integrative Biology and Systems, Université Laval, 2325 rue de l’Université, Québec, QC G1V0A6, Canada
| | - Josephine Z Rapp
- Center for Northern Studies, Université Laval, 2325 rue de l’Université, Québec, QC G1V0A6, Canada
- Department of Biology, Université Laval, 2325 rue de l’Université, Québec, QC G1V0A6, Canada
| | - Frederik Schulz
- DOE Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States
| | - Catherine Girard
- Center for Northern Studies, Université Laval, 2325 rue de l’Université, Québec, QC G1V0A6, Canada
- Département des Sciences Fondamentales, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC), Chicoutimi, QC G7H 2B1, Canada
| | - Simon Roux
- DOE Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States
| | - Alexander I Culley
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bioinformatics, Université Laval, 2325 rue de l’Université, Québec, QC G1V0A6, Canada
- Center for Northern Studies, Université Laval, 2325 rue de l’Université, Québec, QC G1V0A6, Canada
- Pacific Biosciences Research Center, 1800 East-West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, United States
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22
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Lisco G, Giagulli VA, De Pergola G, Guastamacchia E, Jirillo E, Vitale E, Triggiani V. Chronic Stress as a Risk Factor for Type 2 Diabetes: Endocrine, Metabolic, and Immune Implications. Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets 2024; 24:321-332. [PMID: 37534489 DOI: 10.2174/1871530323666230803095118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic stress is a condition of pressure on the brain and whole body, which in the long term may lead to a frank disease status, even including type 2 diabetes (T2D). Stress activates the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis with release of glucocorticoids (GCs) and catecholamines, as well as activation of the inflammatory pathway of the immune system, which alters glucose and lipid metabolism, ultimately leading to beta-cell destruction, insulin resistance and T2D onset. Alteration of the glucose and lipid metabolism accounts for insulin resistance and T2D outcome. Furthermore, stress-related subversion of the intestinal microbiota leads to an imbalance of the gut-brain-immune axis, as evidenced by the stress-related depression often associated with T2D. A condition of generalized inflammation and subversion of the intestinal microbiota represents another facet of stress-induced disease. In fact, chronic stress acts on the gut-brain axis with multiorgan consequences, as evidenced by the association between depression and T2D. Oxidative stress with the production of reactive oxygen species and cytokine-mediated inflammation represents the main hallmarks of chronic stress. ROS production and pro-inflammatory cytokines represent the main hallmarks of stress-related disorders, and therefore, the use of natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substances (nutraceuticals) may offer an alternative therapeutic approach to combat stress-related T2D. Single or combined administration of nutraceuticals would be very beneficial in targeting the neuro-endocrine-immune axis, thus, regulating major pathways involved in T2D onset. However, more clinical trials are needed to establish the effectiveness of nutraceutical treatment, dosage, time of administration and the most favorable combinations of compounds. Therefore, in view of their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, the use of natural products or nutraceuticals for the treatment of stress-related diseases, even including T2D, will be discussed. Several evidences suggest that chronic stress represents one of the main factors responsible for the outcome of T2D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Lisco
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari, "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Vito Angelo Giagulli
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari, "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Giovanni De Pergola
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari, "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Edoardo Guastamacchia
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari, "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Emilio Jirillo
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari, "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Elsa Vitale
- Department of Mental Health, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Local Health Authority Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Triggiani
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari, "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
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23
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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.
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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
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24
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Aggarwal T, Kondabagil K. Assembly and Evolution of Poxviruses. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1451:35-54. [PMID: 38801570 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-57165-7_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Poxvirus assembly has been an intriguing area of research for several decades. While advancements in experimental techniques continue to yield fresh insights, many questions are still unresolved. Large genome sizes of up to 380 kbp, asymmetrical structure, an exterior lipid bilayer, and a cytoplasmic life cycle are some notable characteristics of these viruses. Inside the particle are two lateral bodies and a protein wall-bound-biconcave core containing the viral nucleocapsid. The assembly progresses through five major stages-endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane alteration and rupture, crescent formation, immature virion formation, genome encapsidation, virion maturation and in a subset of viruses, additional envelopment of the virion prior to its dissemination. Several large dsDNA viruses have been shown to follow a comparable sequence of events. In this chapter, we recapitulate our understanding of the poxvirus morphogenesis process while reviewing the most recent advances in the field. We also briefly discuss how virion assembly aids in our knowledge of the evolutionary links between poxviruses and other Nucleocytoplasmic Large DNA Viruses (NCLDVs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanvi Aggarwal
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400076, India
| | - Kiran Kondabagil
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400076, India.
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25
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Minch B, Akter S, Weinheimer A, Rahman MS, Parvez MAK, Rezwana Rahman S, Ahmed MF, Moniruzzaman M. Phylogenetic diversity and functional potential of large and cell-associated viruses in the Bay of Bengal. mSphere 2023; 8:e0040723. [PMID: 37902318 PMCID: PMC10732071 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00407-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The BoB, the world's largest bay, is of significant economic importance to surrounding countries, particularly Bangladesh, which heavily relies on its coastal resources. Concurrently, the BoB holds substantial ecological relevance due to the region's high vulnerability to climate change-induced impacts. Yet, our understanding of the BoB's microbiome in relation to marine food web and biogeochemical cycling remains limited. Particularly, there are little or no data on the viral diversity and host association in the BoB. We examined the viral community in two distinct BoB coastal regions to reveal a multitude of viral species interacting with a wide range of microbial hosts, some of which play key roles in coastal biogeochemical cycling or potential pathogens. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the BoB coast harbors a diverse community of large and giant viruses, underscoring the importance of investigating understudied environments to discover novel viral lineages with complex metabolic capacities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Minch
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Salma Akter
- Department of Microbiology, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - M. Shaminur Rahman
- Department of Microbiology, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore, Bangladesh
| | | | | | - Md Firoz Ahmed
- Department of Microbiology, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Moniruzzaman
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
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26
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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.
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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.
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27
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Truchon AR, Chase EE, Gann ER, Moniruzzaman M, Creasey BA, Aylward FO, Xiao C, Gobler CJ, Wilhelm SW. Kratosvirus quantuckense: the history and novelty of an algal bloom disrupting virus and a model for giant virus research. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1284617. [PMID: 38098665 PMCID: PMC10720644 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1284617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the discovery of the first "giant virus," particular attention has been paid toward isolating and culturing these large DNA viruses through Acanthamoeba spp. bait systems. While this method has allowed for the discovery of plenty novel viruses in the Nucleocytoviricota, environmental -omics-based analyses have shown that there is a wealth of diversity among this phylum, particularly in marine datasets. The prevalence of these viruses in metatranscriptomes points toward their ecological importance in nutrient turnover in our oceans and as such, in depth study into non-amoebal Nucleocytoviricota should be considered a focal point in viral ecology. In this review, we report on Kratosvirus quantuckense (née Aureococcus anophagefferens Virus), an algae-infecting virus of the Imitervirales. Current systems for study in the Nucleocytoviricota differ significantly from this virus and its relatives, and a litany of trade-offs within physiology, coding potential, and ecology compared to these other viruses reveal the importance of K. quantuckense. Herein, we review the research that has been performed on this virus as well as its potential as a model system for algal-virus interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander R Truchon
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Emily E Chase
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Eric R Gann
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States
- Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Surgical Critical Care Initiative (SC2i), Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Mohammad Moniruzzaman
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Brooke A Creasey
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Frank O Aylward
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Chuan Xiao
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, United States
| | | | - Steven W Wilhelm
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
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28
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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.
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29
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Rigou S, Schmitt A, Alempic JM, Lartigue A, Vendloczki P, Abergel C, Claverie JM, Legendre M. Pithoviruses Are Invaded by Repeats That Contribute to Their Evolution and Divergence from Cedratviruses. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:msad244. [PMID: 37950899 PMCID: PMC10664404 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Pithoviridae are amoeba-infecting giant viruses possessing the largest viral particles known so far. Since the discovery of Pithovirus sibericum, recovered from a 30,000-yr-old permafrost sample, other pithoviruses, and related cedratviruses, were isolated from various terrestrial and aquatic samples. Here, we report the isolation and genome sequencing of 2 Pithoviridae from soil samples, in addition to 3 other recent isolates. Using the 12 available genome sequences, we conducted a thorough comparative genomic study of the Pithoviridae family to decipher the organization and evolution of their genomes. Our study reveals a nonuniform genome organization in 2 main regions: 1 concentrating core genes and another gene duplications. We also found that Pithoviridae genomes are more conservative than other families of giant viruses, with a low and stable proportion (5% to 7%) of genes originating from horizontal transfers. Genome size variation within the family is mainly due to variations in gene duplication rates (from 14% to 28%) and massive invasion by inverted repeats. While these repeated elements are absent from cedratviruses, repeat-rich regions cover as much as a quarter of the pithoviruses genomes. These regions, identified using a dedicated pipeline, are hotspots of mutations, gene capture events, and genomic rearrangements that contribute to their evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Rigou
- Information Génomique & Structurale, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7256 (Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, FR3479), IM2B, IOM, Aix–Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Marseille 13288 Cedex 9, France
| | - Alain Schmitt
- Information Génomique & Structurale, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7256 (Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, FR3479), IM2B, IOM, Aix–Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Marseille 13288 Cedex 9, France
| | - Jean-Marie Alempic
- Information Génomique & Structurale, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7256 (Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, FR3479), IM2B, IOM, Aix–Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Marseille 13288 Cedex 9, France
| | - Audrey Lartigue
- Information Génomique & Structurale, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7256 (Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, FR3479), IM2B, IOM, Aix–Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Marseille 13288 Cedex 9, France
| | - Peter Vendloczki
- Information Génomique & Structurale, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7256 (Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, FR3479), IM2B, IOM, Aix–Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Marseille 13288 Cedex 9, France
| | - Chantal Abergel
- Information Génomique & Structurale, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7256 (Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, FR3479), IM2B, IOM, Aix–Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Marseille 13288 Cedex 9, France
| | - Jean-Michel Claverie
- Information Génomique & Structurale, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7256 (Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, FR3479), IM2B, IOM, Aix–Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Marseille 13288 Cedex 9, France
| | - Matthieu Legendre
- Information Génomique & Structurale, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7256 (Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, FR3479), IM2B, IOM, Aix–Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Marseille 13288 Cedex 9, France
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30
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Gyaltshen Y, Rozenberg A, Paasch A, Burns JA, Warring S, Larson RT, Maurer-Alcalá XX, Dacks J, Narechania A, Kim E. Long-Read-Based Genome Assembly Reveals Numerous Endogenous Viral Elements in the Green Algal Bacterivore Cymbomonas tetramitiformis. Genome Biol Evol 2023; 15:evad194. [PMID: 37883709 PMCID: PMC10675990 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evad194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The marine tetraflagellate Cymbomonas tetramitiformis has drawn attention as an early diverging green alga that uses a phago-mixotrophic mode of nutrition (i.e., the ability to derive nourishment from both photosynthesis and bacterial prey). The Cymbomonas nuclear genome was sequenced previously, but due to the exclusive use of short-read (Illumina) data, the assembly suffered from missing a large proportion of the genome's repeat regions. For this study, we generated Oxford Nanopore long-read and additional short-read Illumina data and performed a hybrid assembly that significantly improved the total assembly size and contiguity. Numerous endogenous viral elements were identified in the repeat regions of the new assembly. These include the complete genome of a giant Algavirales virus along with many genomes of integrated Polinton-like viruses (PLVs) from two groups: Gezel-like PLVs and a novel group of prasinophyte-specific PLVs. The integrated ∼400 kb genome of the giant Algavirales virus is the first account of the association of the uncultured viral family AG_03 with green algae. The complete PLV genomes from C. tetramitiformis ranged between 15 and 25 kb in length and showed a diverse gene content. In addition, heliorhodopsin gene-containing repeat elements of putative mirusvirus origin were identified. These results illustrate past (and possibly ongoing) multiple alga-virus interactions that accompanied the genome evolution of C. tetramitiformis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangtsho Gyaltshen
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology and Institute of Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, USA
| | - Andrey Rozenberg
- Faculty of Biology, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Amber Paasch
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology and Institute of Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, USA
| | - John A Burns
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology and Institute of Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, USA
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay, Maine, USA
| | - Sally Warring
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology and Institute of Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, USA
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Raegan T Larson
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Xyrus X Maurer-Alcalá
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology and Institute of Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, USA
| | - Joel Dacks
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Apurva Narechania
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology and Institute of Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, USA
| | - Eunsoo Kim
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology and Institute of Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, USA
- Division of EcoScience, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
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Hikida H, Okazaki Y, Zhang R, Nguyen TT, Ogata H. A rapid genome-wide analysis of isolated giant viruses using MinION sequencing. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:2621-2635. [PMID: 37543720 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
Following the discovery of Acanthamoeba polyphaga mimivirus, diverse giant viruses have been isolated. However, only a small fraction of these isolates have been completely sequenced, limiting our understanding of the genomic diversity of giant viruses. MinION is a portable and low-cost long-read sequencer that can be readily used in a laboratory. Although MinION provides highly error-prone reads that require correction through additional short-read sequencing, recent studies assembled high-quality microbial genomes only using MinION sequencing. Here, we evaluated the accuracy of MinION-only genome assemblies for giant viruses by re-sequencing a prototype marseillevirus. Assembled genomes presented over 99.98% identity to the reference genome with a few gaps, demonstrating a high accuracy of the MinION-only assembly. As a proof of concept, we de novo assembled five newly isolated viruses. Average nucleotide identities to their closest known relatives suggest that the isolates represent new species of marseillevirus, pithovirus and mimivirus. The assembly of subsampled reads demonstrated that their taxonomy and genomic composition could be analysed at the 50× sequencing coverage. We also identified a pithovirus gene whose homologues were detected only in metagenome-derived relatives. Collectively, we propose that MinION-only assembly is an effective approach to rapidly perform a genome-wide analysis of isolated giant viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Hikida
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yusuke Okazaki
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ruixuan Zhang
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Thi Tuyen Nguyen
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Ogata
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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32
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Barcytė D, Eliáš M. Hydrocytium expands the phylogenetic, morphological, and genomic diversity of the poorly known green algal order Chaetopeltidales. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2023; 110:e16238. [PMID: 37661934 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Chaetopeltidales is a small, understudied order of the green algal class Chlorophyceae, that is slowly expanding with the occasional discoveries of novel algae. Here we demonstrate that hitherto unrecognized chaetopeltidaleans also exist among previously described but neglected and misclassified species. METHODS Strain SAG 40.91 of Characium acuminatum, shown by previous preliminary evidence to have affinities with the orders Oedogoniales, Chaetophorales, and Chaetopeltidales (together constituting the OCC clade), was investigated with light and electron microscopy to characterize its morphology and ultrastructure. Sequence assemblies of the organellar and nuclear genomes were obtained and utilized in bioinformatic and phylogenetic analyses to address the phylogenetic position of the alga and its salient genomic features. RESULTS The characterization of strain SAG 40.91 and a critical literature review led us to reinstate the forgotten genus Hydrocytium A.Braun 1855, with SAG 40.91 representing its type species, Hydrocytium acuminatum. Independent molecular markers converged on placing H. acuminatum as a deeply diverged lineage of the order Chaetopeltidales, formalized as the new family Hydrocytiaceae. Both chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes shared characteristics with other members of Chaetopeltidales and were bloated by repetitive sequences. Notably, the mitochondrial cox2a gene was transferred into the nuclear genome in the H. acuminatum lineage, independently of the same event in Volvocales. The nuclear genome data from H. acuminatum and from another chaetopeltidalean that was reported by others revealed endogenized viral sequences corresponding to novel members of the phylum Nucleocytoviricota. CONCLUSIONS The resurrected genus Hydrocytium expands the known diversity of chaetopeltidalean algae and provides the first glimpse into their virosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dovilė Barcytė
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, Ostrava, 710 00, Czech Republic
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
| | - Marek Eliáš
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, Ostrava, 710 00, Czech Republic
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33
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Zhao H, Zhang R, Wu J, Meng L, Okazaki Y, Hikida H, Ogata H. A 1.5-Mb continuous endogenous viral region in the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis. Virus Evol 2023; 9:vead064. [PMID: 37953976 PMCID: PMC10640383 DOI: 10.1093/ve/vead064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Most fungal viruses are RNA viruses, and no double-stranded DNA virus that infects fungi is known to date. A recent study detected DNA polymerase genes that originated from large dsDNA viruses in the genomes of basal fungi, suggestive of the existence of dsDNA viruses capable of infecting fungi. In this study, we searched for viral infection signatures in chromosome-level genome assemblies of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis. We identified a continuous 1.5-Mb putative viral region on a chromosome in R. irregularis strain 4401. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the viral region is related to viruses in the family Asfarviridae of the phylum Nucleocytoviricota. This viral region was absent in the genomes of four other R. irregularis strains and had fewer signals of fungal transposable elements than the other genomic regions, suggesting a recent and single insertion of a large dsDNA viral genome in the genome of this fungal strain. We also incidentally identified viral-like sequences in the genome assembly of the sea slug Elysia marginata that are evolutionally close to the 1.5-Mb putative viral region. In conclusion, our findings provide strong evidence of the recent infection of the fungus by a dsDNA virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongda Zhao
- Chemical Life Science, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji 611-0011, Japan
| | - Ruixuan Zhang
- Chemical Life Science, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji 611-0011, Japan
| | - Junyi Wu
- Chemical Life Science, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji 611-0011, Japan
| | - Lingjie Meng
- Chemical Life Science, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji 611-0011, Japan
| | - Yusuke Okazaki
- Chemical Life Science, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji 611-0011, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Hikida
- Chemical Life Science, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji 611-0011, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Ogata
- Chemical Life Science, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji 611-0011, Japan
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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.
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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
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35
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Meng L, Delmont TO, Gaïa M, Pelletier E, Fernàndez-Guerra A, Chaffron S, Neches RY, Wu J, Kaneko H, Endo H, Ogata H. Genomic adaptation of giant viruses in polar oceans. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6233. [PMID: 37828003 PMCID: PMC10570341 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41910-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite being perennially frigid, polar oceans form an ecosystem hosting high and unique biodiversity. Various organisms show different adaptive strategies in this habitat, but how viruses adapt to this environment is largely unknown. Viruses of phyla Nucleocytoviricota and Mirusviricota are groups of eukaryote-infecting large and giant DNA viruses with genomes encoding a variety of functions. Here, by leveraging the Global Ocean Eukaryotic Viral database, we investigate the biogeography and functional repertoire of these viruses at a global scale. We first confirm the existence of an ecological barrier that clearly separates polar and nonpolar viral communities, and then demonstrate that temperature drives dramatic changes in the virus-host network at the polar-nonpolar boundary. Ancestral niche reconstruction suggests that adaptation of these viruses to polar conditions has occurred repeatedly over the course of evolution, with polar-adapted viruses in the modern ocean being scattered across their phylogeny. Numerous viral genes are specifically associated with polar adaptation, although most of their homologues are not identified as polar-adaptive genes in eukaryotes. These results suggest that giant viruses adapt to cold environments by changing their functional repertoire, and this viral evolutionary strategy is distinct from the polar adaptation strategy of their hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingjie Meng
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, 611-0011, Japan
| | - Tom O Delmont
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91057, Evry, France
- Research Federation for the study of Global Ocean systems ecology and evolution, FR2022/Tara GOsee, F-75016, Paris, France
| | - Morgan Gaïa
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91057, Evry, France
- Research Federation for the study of Global Ocean systems ecology and evolution, FR2022/Tara GOsee, F-75016, Paris, France
| | - Eric Pelletier
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91057, Evry, France
- Research Federation for the study of Global Ocean systems ecology and evolution, FR2022/Tara GOsee, F-75016, Paris, France
| | - Antonio Fernàndez-Guerra
- Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Samuel Chaffron
- Research Federation for the study of Global Ocean systems ecology and evolution, FR2022/Tara GOsee, F-75016, Paris, France
- Nantes Université, École Centrale Nantes, CNRS, LS2N, UMR 6004, F-44000, Nantes, France
| | - Russell Y Neches
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, 611-0011, Japan
| | - Junyi Wu
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, 611-0011, Japan
| | - Hiroto Kaneko
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, 611-0011, Japan
| | - Hisashi Endo
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, 611-0011, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Ogata
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, 611-0011, Japan.
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Moniruzzaman M, Erazo Garcia MP, Farzad R, Ha AD, Jivaji A, Karki S, Sheyn U, Stanton J, Minch B, Stephens D, Hancks DC, Rodrigues RAL, Abrahao JS, Vardi A, Aylward FO. Virologs, viral mimicry, and virocell metabolism: the expanding scale of cellular functions encoded in the complex genomes of giant viruses. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2023; 47:fuad053. [PMID: 37740576 PMCID: PMC10583209 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuad053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The phylum Nucleocytoviricota includes the largest and most complex viruses known. These "giant viruses" have a long evolutionary history that dates back to the early diversification of eukaryotes, and over time they have evolved elaborate strategies for manipulating the physiology of their hosts during infection. One of the most captivating of these mechanisms involves the use of genes acquired from the host-referred to here as viral homologs or "virologs"-as a means of promoting viral propagation. The best-known examples of these are involved in mimicry, in which viral machinery "imitates" immunomodulatory elements in the vertebrate defense system. But recent findings have highlighted a vast and rapidly expanding array of other virologs that include many genes not typically found in viruses, such as those involved in translation, central carbon metabolism, cytoskeletal structure, nutrient transport, vesicular trafficking, and light harvesting. Unraveling the roles of virologs during infection as well as the evolutionary pathways through which complex functional repertoires are acquired by viruses are important frontiers at the forefront of giant virus research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Moniruzzaman
- Rosenstiel School of Marine Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33149, United States
| | - Maria Paula Erazo Garcia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Roxanna Farzad
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Anh D Ha
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Abdeali Jivaji
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Sangita Karki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Uri Sheyn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Joshua Stanton
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Benjamin Minch
- Rosenstiel School of Marine Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33149, United States
| | - Danae Stephens
- Rosenstiel School of Marine Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33149, United States
| | - Dustin C Hancks
- Department of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Rodrigo A L Rodrigues
- Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil
| | - Jonatas S Abrahao
- Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil
| | - Assaf Vardi
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Frank O Aylward
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-Borne Infectious Disease, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
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37
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Queiroz VF, Carvalho JVRP, de Souza FG, Lima MT, Santos JD, Rocha KLS, de Oliveira DB, Araújo JP, Ullmann LS, Rodrigues RAL, Abrahão JS. Analysis of the Genomic Features and Evolutionary History of Pithovirus-Like Isolates Reveals Two Major Divergent Groups of Viruses. J Virol 2023; 97:e0041123. [PMID: 37395647 PMCID: PMC10373538 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00411-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
New representatives of the phylum Nucleocytoviricota have been rapidly described in the last decade. Despite this, not all viruses of this phylum are allocated to recognized taxonomic families, as is the case for orpheovirus, pithovirus, and cedratvirus, which form the proposed family Pithoviridae. In this study, we performed comprehensive comparative genomic analyses of 8 pithovirus-like isolates, aiming to understand their common traits and evolutionary history. Structural and functional genome annotation was performed de novo for all the viruses, which served as a reference for pangenome construction. The synteny analysis showed substantial differences in genome organization between these viruses, with very few and short syntenic blocks shared between orpheovirus and its relatives. It was possible to observe an open pangenome with a significant increase in the slope when orpheovirus was added, alongside a decrease in the core genome. Network analysis placed orpheovirus as a distant and major hub with a large fraction of unique clusters of orthologs, indicating a distant relationship between this virus and its relatives, with only a few shared genes. Additionally, phylogenetic analyses of strict core genes shared with other viruses of the phylum reinforced the divergence of orpheovirus from pithoviruses and cedratviruses. Altogether, our results indicate that although pithovirus-like isolates share common features, this group of ovoid-shaped giant viruses presents substantial differences in gene contents, genomic architectures, and the phylogenetic history of several core genes. Our data indicate that orpheovirus is an evolutionarily divergent viral entity, suggesting its allocation to a different viral family, Orpheoviridae. IMPORTANCE Giant viruses that infect amoebae form a monophyletic group named the phylum Nucleocytoviricota. Despite being genomically and morphologically very diverse, the taxonomic categories of some clades that form this phylum are not yet well established. With advances in isolation techniques, the speed at which new giant viruses are described has increased, escalating the need to establish criteria to define the emerging viral taxa. In this work, we performed a comparative genomic analysis of representatives of the putative family Pithoviridae. Based on the dissimilarity of orpheovirus from the other viruses of this putative family, we propose that orpheovirus be considered a member of an independent family, Orpheoviridae, and suggest criteria to demarcate families consisting of ovoid-shaped giant viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victória F. Queiroz
- Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - João Victor R. P. Carvalho
- Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Fernanda G. de Souza
- Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Maurício T. Lima
- Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Juliane D. Santos
- Laboratório de Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Programa de pós graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Kamila L. S. Rocha
- Laboratório de Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Programa de pós graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Danilo B. de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Programa de pós graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - João Pessoa Araújo
- Laboratório de Virologia, Departamento de Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Leila Sabrina Ullmann
- Laboratório de Virologia, Departamento de Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
- Laboratório de Virologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo A. L. Rodrigues
- Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Jônatas S. Abrahão
- Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Fromm A, Hevroni G, Vincent F, Schatz D, Martinez-Gutierrez CA, Aylward FO, Vardi A. Homing in on the rare virosphere reveals the native host of giant viruses. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.27.546645. [PMID: 37425953 PMCID: PMC10327091 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.27.546645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Giant viruses (phylum Nucleocytoviricota) are globally distributed in aquatic ecosystems1,2. They play major roles as evolutionary drivers of eukaryotic plankton3 and regulators of global biogeochemical cycles4. Recent metagenomic studies have significantly expanded the known diversity of marine giant viruses1,5-7, but we still lack fundamental knowledge about their native hosts, thereby hindering our understanding of their lifecycle and ecological importance. Here, we aim to discover the native hosts of giant viruses using a novel, sensitive single-cell metatranscriptomic approach. By applying this approach to natural plankton communities, we unraveled an active viral infection of several giant viruses, from multiple lineages, and identified their native hosts. We identify a rare lineage of giant virus (Imitervirales-07) infecting a minute population of protists (class Katablepharidaceae) and revealed the prevalence of highly expressed viral-encoded cell-fate regulation genes in infected cells. Further examination of this host-virus dynamics in a temporal resolution suggested this giant virus controls its host population demise. Our results demonstrate how single-cell metatranscriptomics is a sensitive approach for pairing viruses with their authentic hosts and studying their ecological significance in a culture-independent manner in the marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Fromm
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Gur Hevroni
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001, Rehovot, Israel
- Current address: Google Geo, Israel
| | - Flora Vincent
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001, Rehovot, Israel
- Current address: Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biological Laboratory, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniella Schatz
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Frank O. Aylward
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-Borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA 24061
| | - Assaf Vardi
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001, Rehovot, Israel
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Barreat JGN, Katzourakis A. A billion years arms-race between viruses, virophages, and eukaryotes. eLife 2023; 12:RP86617. [PMID: 37358563 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Bamfordviruses are arguably the most diverse group of viruses infecting eukaryotes. They include the Nucleocytoplasmic Large DNA viruses (NCLDVs), virophages, adenoviruses, Mavericks and Polinton-like viruses. Two main hypotheses for their origins have been proposed: the 'nuclear-escape' and 'virophage-first' hypotheses. The nuclear-escape hypothesis proposes an endogenous, Maverick-like ancestor which escaped from the nucleus and gave rise to adenoviruses and NCLDVs. In contrast, the virophage-first hypothesis proposes that NCLDVs coevolved with protovirophages; Mavericks then evolved from virophages that became endogenous, with adenoviruses escaping from the nucleus at a later stage. Here, we test the predictions made by both models and consider alternative evolutionary scenarios. We use a data set of the four core virion proteins sampled across the diversity of the lineage, together with Bayesian and maximum-likelihood hypothesis-testing methods, and estimate rooted phylogenies. We find strong evidence that adenoviruses and NCLDVs are not sister groups, and that Mavericks and Mavirus acquired the rve-integrase independently. We also found strong support for a monophyletic group of virophages (family Lavidaviridae) and a most likely root placed between virophages and the other lineages. Our observations support alternatives to the nuclear-escape scenario and a billion years evolutionary arms-race between virophages and NCLDVs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aris Katzourakis
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Ha AD, Moniruzzaman M, Aylward FO. Assessing the biogeography of marine giant viruses in four oceanic transects. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:43. [PMID: 37120676 PMCID: PMC10148842 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-023-00252-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
Viruses of the phylum Nucleocytoviricota are ubiquitous in ocean waters and play important roles in shaping the dynamics of marine ecosystems. In this study, we leveraged the bioGEOTRACES metagenomic dataset collected across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to investigate the biogeography of these viruses in marine environments. We identified 330 viral genomes, including 212 in the order Imitervirales and 54 in the order Algavirales. We found that most viruses appeared to be prevalent in shallow waters (<150 m), and that viruses of the Mesomimiviridae (Imitervirales) and Prasinoviridae (Algavirales) are by far the most abundant and diverse groups in our survey. Five mesomimiviruses and one prasinovirus are particularly widespread in oligotrophic waters; annotation of these genomes revealed common stress response systems, photosynthesis-associated genes, and oxidative stress modulation genes that may be key to their broad distribution in the pelagic ocean. We identified a latitudinal pattern in viral diversity in one cruise that traversed the North and South Atlantic Ocean, with viral diversity peaking at high latitudes of the northern hemisphere. Community analyses revealed three distinct Nucleocytoviricota communities across latitudes, categorized by latitudinal distance towards the equator. Our results contribute to the understanding of the biogeography of these viruses in marine systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anh D Ha
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Mohammad Moniruzzaman
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL, 33149, USA
| | - Frank O Aylward
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-Borne Infectious Disease, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
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Gaïa M, Meng L, Pelletier E, Forterre P, Vanni C, Fernandez-Guerra A, Jaillon O, Wincker P, Ogata H, Krupovic M, Delmont TO. Mirusviruses link herpesviruses to giant viruses. Nature 2023; 616:783-789. [PMID: 37076623 PMCID: PMC10132985 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05962-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
DNA viruses have a major influence on the ecology and evolution of cellular organisms1-4, but their overall diversity and evolutionary trajectories remain elusive5. Here we carried out a phylogeny-guided genome-resolved metagenomic survey of the sunlit oceans and discovered plankton-infecting relatives of herpesviruses that form a putative new phylum dubbed Mirusviricota. The virion morphogenesis module of this large monophyletic clade is typical of viruses from the realm Duplodnaviria6, with multiple components strongly indicating a common ancestry with animal-infecting Herpesvirales. Yet, a substantial fraction of mirusvirus genes, including hallmark transcription machinery genes missing in herpesviruses, are closely related homologues of giant eukaryotic DNA viruses from another viral realm, Varidnaviria. These remarkable chimaeric attributes connecting Mirusviricota to herpesviruses and giant eukaryotic viruses are supported by more than 100 environmental mirusvirus genomes, including a near-complete contiguous genome of 432 kilobases. Moreover, mirusviruses are among the most abundant and active eukaryotic viruses characterized in the sunlit oceans, encoding a diverse array of functions used during the infection of microbial eukaryotes from pole to pole. The prevalence, functional activity, diversification and atypical chimaeric attributes of mirusviruses point to a lasting role of Mirusviricota in the ecology of marine ecosystems and in the evolution of eukaryotic DNA viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Gaïa
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ. Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
- Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, Paris, France
| | - Lingjie Meng
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Japan
| | - Eric Pelletier
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ. Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
- Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, Paris, France
| | - Patrick Forterre
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative de la Cellule (I2BC), CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif sur Yvette, France
- Département de Microbiologie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Chiara Vanni
- MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Antonio Fernandez-Guerra
- Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Olivier Jaillon
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ. Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
- Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, Paris, France
| | - Patrick Wincker
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ. Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
- Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, Paris, France
| | - Hiroyuki Ogata
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Japan
| | - Mart Krupovic
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Archaeal Virology Unit, Paris, France
| | - Tom O Delmont
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ. Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France.
- Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, Paris, France.
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Widespread Distribution and Evolution of Poxviral Entry-Fusion Complex Proteins in Giant Viruses. Microbiol Spectr 2023:e0494422. [PMID: 36912656 PMCID: PMC10100723 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04944-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Poxviruses are known to encode a set of proteins that form an entry-fusion complex (EFC) to mediate virus entry. However, the diversity, evolution, and origin of these EFC proteins remain poorly understood. Here, we identify the EFC protein homologs in poxviruses and other giant viruses of the phylum Nucleocytoviricota. The 11 EFC genes are present in almost all poxviruses, with the two smallest, G3 and O3, being absent in Entomopoxvirinae and basal lineages of Chordopoxvirinae. Five of the EFC genes are further grouped into two families, A16/G9/J5 and F9/L1, which are widely distributed across other major lineages of Nucleocytoviricota, including metagenome-assembled genomes, but are generally absent in viruses infecting algae or nonamoebozoan heterotrophic protists. The A16/G9/J5 and F9/L1 families cooccur, mostly as single copies, in 93% of the non-Poxviridae giant viruses that have at least one of them. Distribution and phylogenetic patterns suggest that both families originated in the ancestor of Nucleocytoviricota. In addition to the Poxviridae genes, homologs from each of the other Nucleocytoviricota families are largely clustered together, suggesting their ancient presence and vertical inheritance. Despite deep sequence divergences, we observed noticeable conservation of cysteine residues and predicted structures between EFC proteins of Poxviridae and other families. Overall, our study reveals widespread distribution of these EFC protein homologs beyond poxviruses, implies the existence of a conserved membrane fusion mechanism, and sheds light on host range and ancient evolution of Nucleocytoviricota. IMPORTANCE Fusion between virus and host membranes is critical for viruses to release genetic materials and to initiate infection. Whereas most viruses use a single protein for membrane fusion, poxviruses employ a multiprotein entry-fusion complex (EFC). We report that two major families of the EFC proteins are widely distributed within the virus phylum Nucleocytoviricota, which includes poxviruses and other double-stranded (dsDNA) giant viruses that infect animals, amoebozoans, algae, and various microbial eukaryotes. Each of these two protein families is structurally conserved, traces its origin to the root of Nucleocytoviricota, was passed down to the major subclades of Nucleocytoviricota, and is retained in most giant viruses known to infect animals and amoebozoans. The EFC proteins therefore represent a potential mechanism for virus entry in diverse giant viruses. We hypothesize that they may have facilitated the infection of an animal/amoebozoan-like host by the last Nucleocytoviricota common ancestor.
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Functional polyamine metabolic enzymes and pathways encoded by the virosphere. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2214165120. [PMID: 36802435 PMCID: PMC9992855 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2214165120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses produce more viruses by manipulating the metabolic and replication systems of their host cells. Many have acquired metabolic genes from ancestral hosts and use the encoded enzymes to subvert host metabolism. The polyamine spermidine is required for bacteriophage and eukaryotic virus replication, and herein, we have identified and functionally characterized diverse phage- and virus-encoded polyamine metabolic enzymes and pathways. These include pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), pyruvoyl-dependent ODC and arginine decarboxylase (ADC), arginase, S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC/speD), spermidine synthase, homospermidine synthase, spermidine N-acetyltransferase, and N-acetylspermidine amidohydrolase. We identified homologs of the spermidine-modified translation factor eIF5a encoded by giant viruses of the Imitervirales. Although AdoMetDC/speD is prevalent among marine phages, some homologs have lost AdoMetDC activity and have evolved into pyruvoyl-dependent ADC or ODC. The pelagiphages that encode the pyruvoyl-dependent ADCs infect the abundant ocean bacterium Candidatus Pelagibacter ubique, which we have found encodes a PLP-dependent ODC homolog that has evolved into an ADC, indicating that infected cells would contain both PLP- and pyruvoyl-dependent ADCs. Complete or partial spermidine or homospermidine biosynthetic pathways are found encoded in the giant viruses of the Algavirales and Imitervirales, and in addition, some viruses of the Imitervirales can release spermidine from the inactive N-acetylspermidine. In contrast, diverse phages encode spermidine N-acetyltransferase that can sequester spermidine into its inactive N-acetyl form. Together, the virome-encoded enzymes and pathways for biosynthesis and release or biochemical sequestration of spermidine or its structural analog homospermidine consolidate and expand evidence supporting an important and global role of spermidine in virus biology.
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Giant Virus Infection Signatures Are Modulated by Euphotic Zone Depth Strata and Iron Regimes of the Subantarctic Southern Ocean. mSystems 2023; 8:e0126022. [PMID: 36794943 PMCID: PMC10134803 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01260-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses can alter the abundance, evolution, and metabolism of microorganisms in the ocean, playing a key role in water column biogeochemistry and global carbon cycles. Large efforts to measure the contribution of eukaryotic microorganisms (e.g., protists) to the marine food web have been made, yet the in situ activities of the ecologically relevant viruses that infect these organisms are not well characterized. Viruses within the phylum Nucleocytoviricota ("giant viruses") are known to infect a diverse range of ecologically relevant marine protists, yet how these viruses are influenced by environmental conditions remains under-characterized. By employing metatranscriptomic analyses of in situ microbial communities along a temporal and depth-resolved gradient, we describe the diversity of giant viruses at the Southern Ocean Time Series (SOTS), a site within the subpolar Southern Ocean. Using a phylogeny-guided taxonomic assessment of detected giant virus genomes and metagenome-assembled genomes, we observed depth-dependent structuring of divergent giant virus families mirroring dynamic physicochemical gradients in the stratified euphotic zone. Analyses of transcribed metabolic genes from giant viruses suggest viral metabolic reprogramming of hosts from the surface to a 200-m depth. Lastly, using on-deck incubations reflecting a gradient of iron availability, we show that modulating iron regimes influences the activity of giant viruses in the field. Specifically, we show enhanced infection signatures of giant viruses under both iron-replete and iron-limited conditions. Collectively, these results expand our understanding of how the water column's vertical biogeography and chemical surroundings affect an important group of viruses within the Southern Ocean. IMPORTANCE The biology and ecology of marine microbial eukaryotes is known to be constrained by oceanic conditions. In contrast, how viruses that infect this important group of organisms respond to environmental change is less well known, despite viruses being recognized as key microbial community members. Here, we address this gap in our understanding by characterizing the diversity and activity of "giant" viruses within an important region in the sub-Antarctic Southern Ocean. Giant viruses are double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses of the phylum Nucleocytoviricota and are known to infect a wide range of eukaryotic hosts. By employing a metatranscriptomics approach using both in situ samples and microcosm manipulations, we illuminated both the vertical biogeography and how changing iron availability affects this primarily uncultivated group of protist-infecting viruses. These results serve as a foundation for our understanding of how the open ocean water column structures the viral community, which can be used to guide models of the viral impact on marine and global biogeochemical cycling.
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"Mamonoviridae", a proposed new family of the phylum Nucleocytoviricota. Arch Virol 2023; 168:80. [PMID: 36740641 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-022-05633-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Acanthamoeba castellanii medusavirus J1 is a giant virus that was isolated from a hot spring in Japan in 2019. Recently, a close relative of this virus, named medusavirus stheno T3, was isolated in Japan. Here, we describe their morphological, genomic, and gene content similarities and also propose to create a new family, "Mamonoviridae", a new genus, "Medusavirus", and two species, "Medusavirus medusae" and "Medusavirus sthenus", to classify these two viruses within the phylum Nucleocytoviricota.
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Genomics discovery of giant fungal viruses from subsurface oceanic crustal fluids. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:10. [PMID: 36732595 PMCID: PMC9894930 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-022-00210-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The oceanic igneous crust is a vast reservoir for microbial life, dominated by diverse and active bacteria, archaea, and fungi. Archaeal and bacterial viruses were previously detected in oceanic crustal fluids at the Juan de Fuca Ridge (JdFR). Here we report the discovery of two eukaryotic Nucleocytoviricota genomes from the same crustal fluids by sorting and sequencing single virions. Both genomes have a tRNATyr gene with an intron (20 bps) at the canonical position between nucleotide 37 and 38, a common feature in eukaryotic and archaeal tRNA genes with short introns (<100 bps), and fungal genes acquired through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events. The dominance of Ascomycota fungi as the main eukaryotes in crustal fluids and the evidence for HGT point to these fungi as the putative hosts, making these the first putative fungi-Nucleocytoviricota specific association. Our study suggests active host-viral dynamics for the only eukaryotic group found in the subsurface oceanic crust and raises important questions about the impact of viral infection on the productivity and biogeochemical cycling in this ecosystem.
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Ha AD, Moniruzzaman M, Aylward FO. Assessing the biogeography of marine giant viruses in four oceanic transects. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.30.526306. [PMID: 36778472 PMCID: PMC9915497 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.30.526306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Viruses of the phylum Nucleocytoviricota are ubiquitous in ocean waters and play important roles in shaping the dynamics of marine ecosystems. In this study, we leveraged the bioGEOTRACES metagenomic dataset collected across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to investigate the biogeography of these viruses in marine environments. We identified 330 viral genomes, including 212 in the order Imitervirales and 54 in the order Algavirales . We found that most viruses appeared to be prevalent in shallow waters (<150 meters), and that viruses of the Mesomimiviridae ( Imitervirales ) and Prasinoviridae ( Algavirales ) are by far the most abundant and diverse groups in our survey. Five mesomimiviruses and one prasinovirus are particularly widespread in oligotrophic waters; annotation of these genomes revealed common stress response systems, photosynthesis-associated genes, and oxidative stress modulation that may be key to their broad distribution in the pelagic ocean. We identified a latitudinal pattern in viral diversity in one cruise that traversed the North and South Atlantic Ocean, with viral diversity peaking at high latitudes of the northern hemisphere. Community analyses revealed three distinct Nucleocytoviricota communities across latitudes, categorized by latitudinal distance towards the equator. Our results contribute to the understanding of the biogeography of these viruses in marine systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anh D. Ha
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA, 24061
| | - Mohammad Moniruzzaman
- Rosenstiel School of Marine Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Coral Gables FL 33149
| | - Frank O. Aylward
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA, 24061
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-Borne Infectious Disease, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA, 24061
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Shimpi GG, Bentlage B. Ancient endosymbiont-mediated transmission of a selfish gene provides a model for overcoming barriers to gene transfer into animal mitochondrial genomes. Bioessays 2023; 45:e2200190. [PMID: 36412071 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202200190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In contrast to bilaterian animals, non-bilaterian mitochondrial genomes contain atypical genes, often attributed to horizontal gene transfer (HGT) as an ad hoc explanation. Although prevalent in plants, HGT into animal mitochondrial genomes is rare, lacking suitable explanatory models for their occurrence. HGT of the mismatch DNA repair gene (mtMutS) from giant viruses to octocoral (soft corals and their kin) mitochondrial genomes provides a model for how barriers to HGT to animal mitochondria may be overcome. A review of the available literature suggests that this HGT was mediated by an alveolate endosymbiont infected with a lysogenic phycodnavirus that enabled insertion of the homing endonuclease containing mtMutS into octocoral mitochondrial genomes. We posit that homing endonuclease domains and similar selfish elements play a crucial role in such inter-domain gene transfers. Understanding the role of selfish genetic elements in HGT has the potential to aid development of tools for manipulating animal mitochondrial DNA.
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Kavagutti VS, Bulzu PA, Chiriac CM, Salcher MM, Mukherjee I, Shabarova T, Grujčić V, Mehrshad M, Kasalický V, Andrei AS, Jezberová J, Seďa J, Rychtecký P, Znachor P, Šimek K, Ghai R. High-resolution metagenomic reconstruction of the freshwater spring bloom. MICROBIOME 2023; 11:15. [PMID: 36698172 PMCID: PMC9878933 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01451-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The phytoplankton spring bloom in freshwater habitats is a complex, recurring, and dynamic ecological spectacle that unfolds at multiple biological scales. Although enormous taxonomic shifts in microbial assemblages during and after the bloom have been reported, genomic information on the microbial community of the spring bloom remains scarce. RESULTS We performed a high-resolution spatio-temporal sampling of the spring bloom in a freshwater reservoir and describe a multitude of previously unknown taxa using metagenome-assembled genomes of eukaryotes, prokaryotes, and viruses in combination with a broad array of methodologies. The recovered genomes reveal multiple distributional dynamics for several bacterial groups with progressively increasing stratification. Analyses of abundances of metagenome-assembled genomes in concert with CARD-FISH revealed remarkably similar in situ doubling time estimates for dominant genome-streamlined microbial lineages. Discordance between quantitations of cryptophytes arising from sequence data and microscopic identification suggested the presence of hidden, yet extremely abundant aplastidic cryptophytes that were confirmed by CARD-FISH analyses. Aplastidic cryptophytes are prevalent throughout the water column but have never been considered in prior models of plankton dynamics. We also recovered the first metagenomic-assembled genomes of freshwater protists (a diatom and a haptophyte) along with thousands of giant viral genomic contigs, some of which appeared similar to viruses infecting haptophytes but owing to lack of known representatives, most remained without any indication of their hosts. The contrasting distribution of giant viruses that are present in the entire water column to that of parasitic perkinsids residing largely in deeper waters allows us to propose giant viruses as the biological agents of top-down control and bloom collapse, likely in combination with bottom-up factors like a nutrient limitation. CONCLUSION We reconstructed thousands of genomes of microbes and viruses from a freshwater spring bloom and show that such large-scale genome recovery allows tracking of planktonic succession in great detail. However, integration of metagenomic information with other methodologies (e.g., microscopy, CARD-FISH) remains critical to reveal diverse phenomena (e.g., distributional patterns, in situ doubling times) and novel participants (e.g., aplastidic cryptophytes) and to further refine existing ecological models (e.g., factors affecting bloom collapse). This work provides a genomic foundation for future approaches towards a fine-scale characterization of the organisms in relation to the rapidly changing environment during the course of the freshwater spring bloom. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinicius S Kavagutti
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre CAS, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Paul-Adrian Bulzu
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre CAS, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Cecilia M Chiriac
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre CAS, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Michaela M Salcher
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre CAS, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Indranil Mukherjee
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre CAS, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Tanja Shabarova
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre CAS, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Vesna Grujčić
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre CAS, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Present address: Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maliheh Mehrshad
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre CAS, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Present address: Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, 750 07, Sweden
| | - Vojtěch Kasalický
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre CAS, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Adrian-Stefan Andrei
- Limnological Station, Microbial Evogenomics Lab (MiEL), University of Zurich, Kilchberg, Switzerland
| | - Jitka Jezberová
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre CAS, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jaromir Seďa
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre CAS, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Rychtecký
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre CAS, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Znachor
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre CAS, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Šimek
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre CAS, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Rohit Ghai
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre CAS, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
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Bisio H, Legendre M, Giry C, Philippe N, Alempic JM, Jeudy S, Abergel C. Evolution of giant pandoravirus revealed by CRISPR/Cas9. Nat Commun 2023; 14:428. [PMID: 36702819 PMCID: PMC9879987 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36145-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Giant viruses (GVs) are a hotspot of unresolved controversies since their discovery, including the definition of "Virus" and their origin. While increasing knowledge of genome diversity has accumulated, GV functional genomics was largely neglected. Here, we describe an experimental framework to genetically modify nuclear GVs and their host Acanthamoeba castellanii using CRISPR/Cas9, shedding light on the evolution from small icosahedral viruses to amphora-shaped GVs. Ablation of the icosahedral major capsid protein in the phylogenetically-related mollivirus highlights a transition in virion shape and size. We additionally demonstrate the existence of a reduced core essential genome in pandoravirus, reminiscent of their proposed smaller ancestors. This proposed genetic expansion led to increased genome robustness, indicating selective pressures for adaptation to uncertain environments. Overall, we introduce new tools for manipulation of the unexplored genome of nuclear GVs and provide experimental evidence suggesting that viral gigantism has aroused as an emerging trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Bisio
- Aix-Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Information Genomique & Structurale, Unite Mixte de Recherche 7256 (Institut de Microbiologie de la Mediterranee, FR3479, IM2B), 13288, Marseille, Cedex 9, France.
| | - Matthieu Legendre
- Aix-Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Information Genomique & Structurale, Unite Mixte de Recherche 7256 (Institut de Microbiologie de la Mediterranee, FR3479, IM2B), 13288, Marseille, Cedex 9, France
| | - Claire Giry
- Aix-Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Information Genomique & Structurale, Unite Mixte de Recherche 7256 (Institut de Microbiologie de la Mediterranee, FR3479, IM2B), 13288, Marseille, Cedex 9, France
| | - Nadege Philippe
- Aix-Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Information Genomique & Structurale, Unite Mixte de Recherche 7256 (Institut de Microbiologie de la Mediterranee, FR3479, IM2B), 13288, Marseille, Cedex 9, France
| | - Jean-Marie Alempic
- Aix-Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Information Genomique & Structurale, Unite Mixte de Recherche 7256 (Institut de Microbiologie de la Mediterranee, FR3479, IM2B), 13288, Marseille, Cedex 9, France
| | - Sandra Jeudy
- Aix-Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Information Genomique & Structurale, Unite Mixte de Recherche 7256 (Institut de Microbiologie de la Mediterranee, FR3479, IM2B), 13288, Marseille, Cedex 9, France
| | - Chantal Abergel
- Aix-Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Information Genomique & Structurale, Unite Mixte de Recherche 7256 (Institut de Microbiologie de la Mediterranee, FR3479, IM2B), 13288, Marseille, Cedex 9, France.
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