Virus-host relationships of marine single-celled eukaryotes resolved from metatranscriptomics

• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms16054
• Publication Date: 2017-06-28T10:05:49Z
• Authors: Mohammad Moniruzz...; Louie L. Wurch; Harriet Alexander; Sonya T. Dyhrman; Christopher J. Go...; Steven W. Wilhelm
• Keywords: Giant Virus

Abstract Establishing virus–host relationships has historically relied on culture-dependent approaches. Here we report the use of marine metatranscriptomics to probe relationships. Statistical co-occurrence analyses dsDNA, ssRNA and dsRNA viral markers polyadenylation-selected RNA sequences from microbial communities dominated by Aureococcus anophagefferens (Quantuck Bay, NY), diatoms (Narragansett RI) show active infections diverse giant viruses (NCLDVs) associated with algal nonalgal hosts. Ongoing A. a known Mimiviridae (AaV) occur during bloom peak decline. Bloom decline is also accompanied increased activity other than AaV, including (+) viruses. In Narragansett temporal resolution reveals NCLDVs both ‘boom-and-bust’ ‘steady-state infection’-like ecologies that include as well novel interactions. Our approach offers method for screening develops links between their potential hosts in situ . observations further demonstrate previously unknown systems are abundant.