Journal article
Clades of huge phages from across Earth's ecosystems
University of California at Berkeley1
University of Cape Town2
University of Pittsburgh3
CNRS4
University College London5
National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark6
Research Group for Genomic Epidemiology, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark7
Japan Atomic Energy Agency8
Stanford University9
Colorado State University10
University of Toronto11
Joint Genome Institute12
Sun Yat-Sen University13
...and 3 moreBacteriophages typically have small genomes1 and depend on their bacterial hosts for replication2. Here we sequenced DNA from diverse ecosystems and found hundreds of phage genomes with lengths of more than 200 kilobases (kb), including a genome of 735 kb, which is-to our knowledge-the largest phage genome to be described to date.
Thirty-five genomes were manually curated to completion (circular and no gaps). Expanded genetic repertoires include diverse and previously undescribed CRISPR-Cas systems, transfer RNAs (tRNAs), tRNA synthetases, tRNA-modification enzymes, translation-initiation and elongation factors, and ribosomal proteins.
The CRISPR-Cas systems of phages have the capacity to silence host transcription factors and translational genes, potentially as part of a larger interaction network that intercepts translation to redirect biosynthesis to phage-encoded functions. In addition, some phages may repurpose bacterial CRISPR-Cas systems to eliminate competing phages.
We phylogenetically define the major clades of huge phages from human and other animal microbiomes, as well as from oceans, lakes, sediments, soils and the built environment. We conclude that the large gene inventories of huge phages reflect a conserved biological strategy, and that the phages are distributed across a broad bacterial host range and across Earth's ecosystems.
Language: | English |
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Publisher: | Nature Publishing Group UK |
Year: | 2020 |
Pages: | 425-431 |
Journal subtitle: | International Weekly Journal of Science |
ISSN: | 14764687 and 00280836 |
Types: | Journal article |
DOI: | 10.1038/s41586-020-2007-4 |
ORCIDs: | Munk, Patrick |
Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases Animals Bacteria Bacteriophages Biodiversity CRISPR-Cas Systems Earth, Planet Ecosystem Environmental microbiology Evolution, Molecular Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial Gene Expression Regulation, Viral Genome, Viral Host Specificity Humans Lakes Metagenomics Molecular Sequence Annotation Oceans and Seas Phylogeny Prophages Protein Biosynthesis RNA, Transfer Ribosomal Proteins Seawater Soil Microbiology Transcription, Genetic