Viromes vs. mixed community metagenomes: choice of method dictates interpretation of viral community ecology

• DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01905-x
• Publication Date: 2024-10-07T14:02:32Z
• Authors: James C. Kosmopoulos; Katherine M. Klier; Marguerite V. Lan...; Patricia Q. Tran; Karthik Anantharaman
• Keywords: Human virome; Viral evolution

Viruses, the majority of which are uncultivated, among most abundant biological entities on Earth. From altering microbial physiology to driving community dynamics, viruses fundamental members microbiomes. While number studies leveraging viral metagenomics (viromics) for studying uncultivated is growing, standards viromics research lacking. Viromics can utilize computational discovery from total metagenomes all (hereafter metagenomes) or use physical separation virus-specific fractions viromes). However, differences in recovery and interpretation viromes obtained same samples remain understudied.