3 min read•Last Updated on July 22, 2024
Marine viruses are the ocean's most abundant life forms, outnumbering bacteria 5-25 times. They infect a wide range of organisms, from bacteria to eukaryotes, and their distribution varies across marine environments. Coastal and nutrient-rich waters have higher viral concentrations than the open ocean.
These tiny powerhouses significantly impact marine ecosystems. They kill 20-40% of marine bacteria daily, altering microbial communities and nutrient cycles. Viruses also drive evolution through gene transfer and selective pressure, shaping the genetic landscape of marine microorganisms.
Frontiers | Changes in Eukaryotic and Bacterial Communities along a 120 m Transect Associated ... View original
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Frontiers | Abundance and Distribution of Enteric Bacteria and Viruses in Coastal and Estuarine ... View original
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Frontiers | Marine Animal Microbiomes: Toward Understanding Host–Microbiome Interactions in a ... View original
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Frontiers | Changes in Eukaryotic and Bacterial Communities along a 120 m Transect Associated ... View original
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Frontiers | Abundance and Distribution of Enteric Bacteria and Viruses in Coastal and Estuarine ... View original
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Frontiers | Changes in Eukaryotic and Bacterial Communities along a 120 m Transect Associated ... View original
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Frontiers | Abundance and Distribution of Enteric Bacteria and Viruses in Coastal and Estuarine ... View original
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Frontiers | Marine Animal Microbiomes: Toward Understanding Host–Microbiome Interactions in a ... View original
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Frontiers | Changes in Eukaryotic and Bacterial Communities along a 120 m Transect Associated ... View original
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Frontiers | Abundance and Distribution of Enteric Bacteria and Viruses in Coastal and Estuarine ... View original
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Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide to mitigate climate change. This process can occur naturally through ecosystems like forests, wetlands, and oceans, or through artificial means such as technology that captures carbon emissions from industrial sources. The effectiveness of carbon sequestration is closely linked to the health and function of various ecosystems.
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Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide to mitigate climate change. This process can occur naturally through ecosystems like forests, wetlands, and oceans, or through artificial means such as technology that captures carbon emissions from industrial sources. The effectiveness of carbon sequestration is closely linked to the health and function of various ecosystems.
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Viral abundance refers to the concentration and presence of viruses in a given environment, particularly in marine ecosystems. Understanding viral abundance is crucial for assessing the ecological roles that viruses play in marine environments, including their impact on microbial communities and nutrient cycling.
Phage: A type of virus that infects bacteria, playing a significant role in controlling bacterial populations in marine environments.
Microbial loop: A key ecological pathway where bacteria are consumed by protozoa, leading to the transfer of energy and nutrients within marine food webs.
Ecosystem health: A measure of the stability and functionality of an ecosystem, which can be influenced by factors such as viral abundance and microbial diversity.
Viral lysis is the process by which a virus infects a host cell, replicates inside it, and ultimately causes the host cell to burst or lyse, releasing new viral particles into the surrounding environment. This phenomenon is significant in marine ecosystems as it influences microbial populations, nutrient cycling, and the dynamics of food webs. Understanding viral lysis is crucial for grasping how marine viruses affect overall marine biodiversity and the health of oceanic environments.
Bacteriophage: A type of virus that specifically infects bacteria, often playing a role in regulating bacterial populations in marine environments.
Phytoplankton: Microscopic plants in aquatic environments that are primary producers, serving as a critical food source within marine food webs and often targeted by viruses.
Ecosystem Dynamics: The patterns and processes that govern the interactions among organisms and their environment, heavily influenced by viral lysis through population control and nutrient release.
Viral shunt refers to the process by which marine viruses infect and lyse phytoplankton and other microorganisms, leading to the release of dissolved organic matter (DOM) into the surrounding water. This process plays a crucial role in the marine ecosystem by influencing nutrient cycling and energy flow. As viruses attack and destroy host cells, they redirect carbon and nutrients that would have been utilized by the microorganisms, thus affecting food webs and biogeochemical cycles.
Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM): Organic compounds that are dissolved in water, which can be derived from the breakdown of organic material by microbial activity, including the release from lysed cells.
Microbial Loop: The pathway of carbon flow in aquatic ecosystems that involves the transformation of phytoplankton production into bacterial biomass, which can then be consumed by higher trophic levels.
Phytoplankton: Microscopic, photosynthetic organisms that form the base of the marine food web and serve as primary producers in aquatic environments.
Microscopy techniques refer to the various methods used to magnify and visualize small objects, such as cells and microorganisms, that are not visible to the naked eye. These techniques are crucial in studying marine viruses, as they allow scientists to examine their structures, interactions, and roles in marine ecosystems. By employing advanced microscopy methods, researchers can gain valuable insights into how these viruses influence marine populations and nutrient cycles.
Electron microscopy: A technique that uses a beam of electrons to achieve high-resolution imaging of biological specimens, enabling detailed visualization of virus morphology.
Fluorescence microscopy: A method that utilizes fluorescent dyes to label specific components of cells or viruses, allowing for the observation of their location and dynamics within marine environments.
Confocal microscopy: An advanced imaging technique that enhances optical resolution and contrast by using a spatial pinhole to eliminate out-of-focus light, making it ideal for examining complex structures in marine samples.
Host-virus interactions refer to the complex dynamics between a host organism and a virus, encompassing the ways in which viruses infect, replicate within, and impact their host. These interactions can influence the health and survival of marine organisms, impacting entire ecosystems by altering population dynamics and nutrient cycling.
Lytic Cycle: A viral replication process in which the virus invades a host cell, uses its machinery to produce new virus particles, and ultimately causes the cell to lyse or burst, releasing new viruses.
Ecosystem Dynamics: The natural processes and interactions that define an ecosystem, including how species interact with each other and their environment, influenced by factors like predation, competition, and disease.
Phage Therapy: A therapeutic approach that uses bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, to treat bacterial infections; it highlights potential benefits of viruses in managing host populations.
Metagenomics is the study of genetic material recovered directly from environmental samples, allowing researchers to analyze the collective genome of microorganisms present in a specific habitat without the need for isolation and cultivation. This approach enables scientists to gain insights into the diversity, function, and ecological roles of microbial communities, including marine bacteria, archaea, and viruses. By revealing the genetic blueprints of these organisms, metagenomics helps in understanding their interactions and contributions to ecosystem processes.
Microbiome: The collection of microorganisms, including bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi, that inhabit a particular environment or host.
16S rRNA Sequencing: A method used to identify and classify bacteria based on variations in a specific region of the ribosomal RNA gene, often employed in metagenomic studies.
Functional Metagenomics: A subfield of metagenomics that focuses on identifying and characterizing the functional genes present in microbial communities, often linked to ecological processes or biotechnological applications.