Recent insights into aquatic viruses: Emerging and reemerging pathogens, molecular features, biological effects, and novel investigative approaches

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Aquatic viruses are naturally present in the aquatic environment and the number of viruses is staggering. Various multicellular organisms in aquatic ecosystems may be infected, cross-species transmitted, manipulated, and killed by aquatic viruses, which can lead to cascading ecological effects. The viruses in unicellular aquatic organisms can alter interactions between host individuals, and are essential in effecting or maintaining the dynamics of aquatic microbial communities, horizontal gene transfer, biodiversity, and modulating ecological processes globally. Meanwhile, hosts also impact viral abundance and diversity. Microbial diversity drives multifunctionality in ecosystems, while viruses shape complex microbial communities and are crucial for ecosystem functioning. This review focuses on molecular, genetic, evolutionary, and ecosystemic advances related to emerging and reemerging aquatic viruses, presents the contexts, novel tools, and investigative approaches pertaining to the study of aquatic virology, and discusses the mechanisms by which viruses affect aquatic ecosystems. The paper provides an efficient and broadly-based blueprint for improving understanding of aquatic viruses.