A new virus has been discovered in the depths of the Mariana Trench
Miscellaneous / / September 25, 2023
It is literally woven into the genome of living organisms in order to survive and evolve together.
An international team of researchers has discovered a new bacteriophage in Mariana Trench sediments recovered from a depth of 8,900 meters. βTo our knowledge, this is the deepest known isolated phage in the world's oceans,β said Ming Wang, research team member.
Scientists believe that the new phage, called vB_HmeY_H4907, represents a completely new family of siphoviruses that have double-stranded DNA. It infects Halomonas, a group of bacteria often found in deep sea waters and hydrothermal vents.
Because phages and host bacteria often co-evolve, the researchers performed a genomic analysis of the new phage's DNA. They hoped this could be a clue to its evolution and how it interacts with its Halomonas hosts.
According to the results of the analysis, the virus turned out to be lysogenic - it includes its own genome in the genome of the host, and this means that when a bacterial cell divides, the viral genetic material is also copied and transferred into new ones cells.
This DNA replacement may explain how both organisms were able to survive such harsh underwater conditions, hinting at coevolution. However, further research is needed to fully explore this possibility.
Now scientists want to continue searching for new viruses in other extreme environments in the hope that this will expand our understanding of their nature and microbial life in the deep sea and beyond.
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