Abstract
Soil is known to harbor viruses, but the majority are uncharacterized and their responses to environmental changes are unknown. Here, we used a multi-omics approach (metagenomics, metatranscriptomics and metaproteomics) to detect active DNA viruses and RNA viruses in a native prairie soil and to determine their responses to extremes in soil moisture. The majority of transcribed DNA viruses were bacteriophage, but some were assigned to eukaryotic hosts, mainly insects. We also demonstrated that higher soil moisture increased transcription of a subset of DNA viruses. Metaproteome data validated that the specific viral transcripts were translated into proteins, including chaperonins known to be essential for virion replication and assembly. The soil viral chaperonins were phylogenetically distinct from previously described marine viral chaperonins. The soil also had a high abundance of RNA viruses, with highest representation of Reoviridae. Leviviridae were the most diverse RNA viruses in the samples, with higher amounts in wet soil. This study demonstrates that extreme shifts in soil moisture have dramatic impacts on the composition, activity and potential functions of both DNA and RNA soil viruses.
Highlights
Soil is known to harbor viruses, but the majority are uncharacterized and their responses to environmental changes are unknown
Here we used a multiomics approach, combining DNA and RNA sequencing with metaproteomics, leveraging the strength of each omics method, to better understand how soil viruses respond to environmental changes
The DNA viral database served as a scaffold for mapping of metatranscriptome and metaproteome datasets to determine the activities of soil DNA viruses and their responses to differences in soil moisture
Summary
Soil is known to harbor viruses, but the majority are uncharacterized and their responses to environmental changes are unknown. We used a multi-omics approach (metagenomics, metatranscriptomics and metaproteomics) to detect active DNA viruses and RNA viruses in a native prairie soil and to determine their responses to extremes in soil moisture. We focused our study on a native prairie soil at the Konza Experimental Station in Kansas, which sits at the crossroads for predicted shifts in precipitation with climate change, either increasing drought towards the southwest, or increasing rainfall to the northeast[13] To investigate both possible scenarios, we hypothesized that wet and dry soils would harbor different soil viruses and that their respective activities would be influenced by soil moisture. The resultant multi-omics data were used to screen for soil viruses and to assess their activities in response to differences in soil moisture
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
