Researchers Uncover Critical Interactions Between Giant Viruses and Algae
ECOLOGY
10/31/2024
Giant viruses (Nucleocytoviricota), which are up to 100 times larger than typical viruses and even larger than some bacteria, are widely distributed in global aquatic environments and are thought to play a crucial role in regulating global biogeochemical cycles. Unfortunately, our understanding of them remains very limited. In a study published in Nature Microbiology in 2024, researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science used a single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) approach on samples collected during an algal bloom event to study how these giant viruses interact with their hosts. Through this approach, hundreds of single cells associated as hosts to giant viruses were successfully detected, including members of the algal groups Chrysophycae and Prymnesiophycae, as well as heterotrophic flagellates from the class Katablepharidaceae. Furthermore, researchers revealed that Katablepharid cells infected by the rare Imitervirales-07 giant virus lineage express genes related to cell fate regulation. These findings deepen our understanding of the vital role of giant viruses in global ecosystems, particularly in controlling algal populations.
