Mutations of Salinibacter ruber strain M1 and EM1 virus generated during an infectious process
This project explores the evolutionary dynamics of virus host interactions in hypersaline environments using Salinibacter ruber M1 and its virus EM1. Through long term experiments with varying community complexity, we show that coexisting viruses accelerate EM1 diversification, while bacterial evolution is mainly driven by competition with other Sal. ruber strains. We sequenced viral and bacterial populations at multiple time points, including intracellular and extracellular viral fractions, to uncover how ecological context shapes mutation rates and genomic variability.