Viral community diversity in the rhizosphere of the foundation salt marsh plant Spartina alterniflora

作者：Isabelle Du Plessis, Hannah Snyder, Rachel Calder, José L. Rolando, Joel E. Kostka, Joshua S. Weitz, Marian Dominguez-Mirazo · 发表于：mSphere · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1128/msphere.00234-25 · 被引用次数：2 · 研究领域：Bacteriophages and microbial interactions、Plant Virus Research Studies、Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics

ABSTRACT Viruses of microorganisms impact microbial population dynamics, community structure, nutrient cycling, gene transfer, and genomic innovation. In wetlands, root-associated microbial communities mediate key biogeochemical processes important for plants involved in ecosystem maintenance. Nonetheless, the presence and role of microbial viruses in salt marshes remain poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed 24 metagenomes retrieved from the root zone of Spartina alterniflora , a foundation plant in salt marshes of the eastern and Gulf coasts of the U.S. The samples span three plant compartments—bulk sediment, rhizosphere, and root—and two cordgrass plant phenotypes: short and tall. We observed differentiation between phenotypes and increased similarity in viral communities between the root and rhizosphere, indicating that plant compartment and phenotype shape viral community composition. The majority of viral populations characterized are novel at the genus level, with a subset predicted to target microorganisms known to carry out key biogeochemical functions. The findings contribute to ongoing efforts to understand plant-associated viral diversity and community composition and to identify potential targets for exploring viral modulation of microbially mediated ecosystem functioning in intertidal wetlands. IMPORTANCE Salt marshes are vital coastal ecosystems. Microbes in these environments drive nutrient cycling and support plant health, with Spartina alterniflora se...