Host-linked soil viral ecology along a permafrost thaw gradient

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Authors

Joanne B. Emerson, Ohio State University
Simon Roux, Ohio State University
Jennifer R. Brum, Ohio State University
Benjamin Bolduc, Ohio State University
Ben J. Woodcroft, University of Queensland
Ho Bin Jang, Ohio State University
Caitlin M. Singleton, University of Queensland
Lindsey M. Solden, Ohio State University
Adrian E. Naas, Norwegian University of Life Sciences
Joel A. Boyd, University of Queensland
Suzanne B. Hodgkins, Florida State University
Rachel M. Wilson, Florida State University
Gareth Trubl, Ohio State University
Changsheng Li, University of New Hampshire, Durham
Stephen E. Frolking, University of New Hampshire, DurhamFollow
Phillip B. Pope, Norwegian University of Life Sciences
Kelly C. Wrighton, Ohio State University
Patrick M. Crill, Stockholm University
Jeffrey P. Chanton, Florida State University
Scott R. Saleska, Ohio State University
Gene W. Tyson, University of Queensland
Virginia I. Rich, Ohio State University
Matthew B. Sullivan

Abstract

Climate change threatens to release abundant carbon that is sequestered at high latitudes, but the constraints on microbial metabolisms that mediate the release of methane and carbon dioxide are poorly understood1,2,3,4,5,6,7. The role of viruses, which are known to affect microbial dynamics, metabolism and biogeochemistry in the oceans8,9,10, remains largely unexplored in soil. Here, we aimed to investigate how viruses influence microbial ecology and carbon metabolism in peatland soils along a permafrost thaw gradient in Sweden. We recovered 1,907 viral populations (genomes and large genome fragments) from 197 bulk soil and size-fractionated metagenomes, 58% of which were detected in metatranscriptomes and presumed to be active. In silico predictions linked 35% of the viruses to microbial host populations, highlighting likely viral predators of key carbon-cycling microorganisms, including methanogens and methanotrophs. Lineage-specific virus/host ratios varied, suggesting that viral infection dynamics may differentially impact microbial responses to a changing climate. Virus-encoded glycoside hydrolases, including an endomannanase with confirmed functional activity, indicated that viruses influence complex carbon degradation and that viral abundances were significant predictors of methane dynamics. These findings suggest that viruses may impact ecosystem function in climate-critical, terrestrial habitats and identify multiple potential viral contributions to soil carbon cycling.

Department

Earth Systems Research Center

Publication Date

7-16-2018

Journal Title

Nature Microbiology

Publisher

Springer Nature

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41564-018-0190-y

Document Type

Article

Recommended Citation

Emerson JB, S Roux, JR Brum, B Bolduc, BJ Woodcroft, HB Jang, CM Singleton, LM Solden, AE Naas, JA Boyd, SB Hodgkins, RM Wilson, G Trubl, C Li, S Frolking, PB Pope, KC Wrighton, PM Crill, JP Chanton, SR Saleska, GW Tyson, VI Rich, MB Sullivan. 2018. Host-linked soil viral ecology along a permafrost thaw gradient, Nature Microbiology, doi.org/10.1038/s41564-018­0190-y.

Comments

This is an article published by Springer Nature in Nature Microbiology on 2018, available online: https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41564-018-0190-y