Breaking the Ice: A Review of Phages in Polar EcosystemsShow others and affiliations
2024 (English)In: Bacteriophages: Methods and Protocols / [ed] Ebenezer Tumban, New York, NY: Humana Press, 2024, p. 31-71Chapter in book (Refereed)
Abstract [en]
Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that infect and replicate within bacterial hosts, playing a significant role in regulating microbial populations and ecosystem dynamics. However, phages from extreme environments such as polar regions remain relatively understudied due to challenges such as restricted ecosystem access and low biomass. Understanding the diversity, structure, and functions of polar phages is crucial for advancing our knowledge of the microbial ecology and biogeochemistry of these environments. In this review, we will explore the current state of knowledge on phages from the Arctic and Antarctic, focusing on insights gained from -omic studies, phage isolation, and virus-like particle abundance data. Metagenomic studies of polar environments have revealed a high diversity of phages with unique genetic characteristics, providing insights into their evolutionary and ecological roles. Phage isolation studies have identified novel phage–host interactions and contributed to the discovery of new phage species. Virus-like particle abundance and lysis rate data, on the other hand, have highlighted the importance of phages in regulating bacterial populations and nutrient cycling in polar environments. Overall, this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge about polar phages, and by synthesizing these different sources of information, we can better understand the diversity, dynamics, and functions of polar phages in the context of ongoing climate change, which will help to predict how polar ecosystems and residing phages may respond to future environmental perturbations.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
New York, NY: Humana Press, 2024. p. 31-71
Series
Methods in Molecular Biology, ISSN 1064-3745, E-ISSN 1940-6029 ; 2738
Keywords [en]
Viruses, Antarctic, Arctic, Cryosphere, Cold adaptation, AMG, VLP, Permafrost, Cryoconite holes, Host
National Category
Microbiology Oceanography, Hydrology and Water Resources Ecology
Research subject
Ecology, Microbiology; Ecology, Aquatic Ecology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-125857DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3549-0_3Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85177078368ISBN: 9781071635490 (electronic)ISBN: 9781071635483 (print)ISBN: 9781071635513 (print)OAI: oai:DiVA.org:lnu-125857DiVA, id: diva2:1816486
Projects
https://lnu.se/en/research/research-projects/project-exploring-the-virioneuston-viral-bacterial-interactions/
Funder
German Research Foundation (DFG), 446702140Carl Tryggers foundation , CTS 20:1282023-12-022023-12-022023-12-08Bibliographically approved