Viral and microbial community dynamics in four aquatic environments.
The species composition and metabolic potential of microbial and viral communities are predictable and stable for most ecosystems. This apparent stability contradicts theoretical models as well as the viral-microbial dynamics observed in simple ecosystems, both of which show Kill-the-Winner behavior causing cycling of the dominant taxa. Microbial and viral metagenomes were obtained from four human-controlled aquatic environments at various time points separated by one day to >1 year. These environments were maintained within narrow geochemical bounds and had characteristic species composition and metabolic potentials at all time points. However, underlying this stability were rapid changes at the fine-grained level of viral genotypes and microbial strains. These results suggest a model wherein functionally redundant microbial and viral taxa are cycling at the level of viral genotypes and virus-sensitive microbial strains. Microbial taxa, viral taxa, and metabolic function persist over time in stable ecosystems and both communities fluctuate in a Kill-the-Winner manner at the level of viral genotypes and microbial strains.
Computational Science Research Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182-1245, USA. beltran.rodriguezbrito@gmail.com
Beltran
B
Rodriguez-Brito
Linlin
L
Li
Linda
L
Wegley
Mike
M
Furlan
Florent
F
Angly
Mya
M
Breitbart
John
J
Buchanan
Christelle
C
Desnues
Elizabeth
E
Dinsdale
Robert
R
Edwards
Ben
B
Felts
Matthew
M
Haynes
Hong
H
Liu
David
D
Lipson
Joseph
J
Mahaffy
Anna Belen
AB
Martin-Cuadrado
Alex
A
Mira
Jim
J
Nulton
Lejla
L
Pasić
Steve
S
Rayhawk
Jennifer
J
Rodriguez-Mueller
Francisco
F
Rodriguez-Valera
Peter
P
Salamon
Shailaja
S
Srinagesh
Tron Frede
TF
Thingstad
Tuong
T
Tran
Rebecca Vega
RV
Thurber
Dana
D
Willner
Merry
M
Youle
Forest
F
Rohwer
D001105:Archaea / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D019641:DNA, Archaeal / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D017753:Ecosystem; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000382:microbiology; D015698:Genomic Library; D005838:Genotype; D054892:Metagenome; D054712:Salinity; D013997:Time Factors; D014780:Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D014871:Water Microbiology
D019641:DNA, Archaeal; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004279:DNA, Viral