Phages Affect Soil Dissolved Organic Matter Mineralization by Shaping Bacterial Communities

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c08274
• Publication Date: 2025-01-21T18:57:37Z
• Authors: Xiaolei Zhao; Xiaolong Liang; Zhenke Zhu; Zhaofeng Yuan; Senxiang Yu; Yalong Liu; Jingkuan Wang; Kyle Mason-Jones; Yakov Kuzyakov; Jianping Chen; Tida Ge; Shuang Wang
• Keywords: Microbial Metabolism; Biogeochemical Cycle; Bacterial growth

Viruses are considered to regulate bacterial communities and terrestrial nutrient cycling, yet their effects on metabolism the mechanisms of carbon (C) dynamics during dissolved organic matter (DOM) mineralization remain unknown. Here, we added active inactive bacteriophages (phages) soil DOM with original incubated them at 18 or 23 °C for 35 days. Phages initially (1–4 days) reduced CO2 efflux rate by 13-21% 3–30% but significantly (p < 0.05) increased 4–29% 9–41% after 6 days, raising cumulative emissions 14% 21% °C. decreased dominant taxa community diversity (consistent a "cull-the-winner" dynamic), thus altering predicted microbiome functions. Specifically, phages enriched some (such as Pseudomonas, Anaerocolumna, Caulobacter) involved in degrading complex compounds consequently promoted functions related C cycling. Higher temperature facilitated phage-bacteria interactions, diversity, enzyme activities, boosting 16%. Collectively, impact shifting microbial functions, moderate changes modulating magnitude these processes not qualitatively behavior.