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A novel sister clade to the enterobacteria microviruses (family M icroviridae ) identified in methane seep sediments
Author(s) -
Bryson Samuel Joseph,
Thurber Andrew R.,
Correa Adrienne M. S.,
Orphan Victoria J.,
Vega Thurber Rebecca
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.954
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1462-2920
pISSN - 1462-2912
DOI - 10.1111/1462-2920.12758
Subject(s) - biology , clade , metagenomics , pyrosequencing , genome , genus , methanogenesis , microbial ecology , gene , evolutionary biology , genetics , ecology , phylogenetics , bacteria
Summary Methane seep microbial communities perform a key ecosystem service by consuming the greenhouse gas methane prior to its release into the hydrosphere, minimizing the impact of marine methane sources on our climate. Although previous studies have examined the ecology and biochemistry of these communities, none has examined viral assemblages associated with these habitats. We employed virus particle purification, genome amplification, pyrosequencing and gene/genome reconstruction and annotation on two metagenomic libraries, one prepared for ssDNA and the other for all DNA , to identify the viral community in a methane seep. Similarity analysis of these libraries (raw and assembled) revealed a community dominated by phages, with a significant proportion of similarities to the M icroviridae family of ssDNA phages. We define these viruses as the E el R iver B asin M icroviridae ( ERBM ). Assembly and comparison of 21 ERBM closed circular genomes identified five as members of a novel sister clade to the M icrovirus genus of Enterobacteria phages. Comparisons among other metagenomes and these Microviridae major‐capsid sequences indicated that this clade of phages is currently unique to the E el R iver B asin sediments. Given this ERBM clade's relationship to the M icroviridae genus M icrovirus , we define this sister clade as the candidate genus P equeñovirus .