Covariance of Marine Nucleocytoplasmic Large DNA Viruses with Eukaryotic Plankton Communities in the Sub-Arctic Kongsfjorden Ecosystem: A Metagenomic Analysis of Marine Microbial Ecosystems

• Published in: Microorganisms
• Main Authors: Kang Eun Kim, Hyoung Min Joo, Taek-Kyun Lee, Hyun-Jung Kim, Yu Jin Kim, Bo Kyung Kim, Sun-Yong Ha, Seung Won Jung
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2023
• Subjects: Aureococcus anophagefferens; eukaryotic plankton communities; Gyrodinium helveticum; metagenomics; nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses; sub-arctic sea; Biology (General); QH301-705.5; Arctic; Svalbard; Norway; Kongsfjord*; Kongsfjorden
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11010169; https://doaj.org/article/8c91c133866c4ff49c002fec631a3017

Nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs) infect various marine eukaryotes. However, little is known about NCLDV diversity and their relationships with eukaryotic hosts in marine environments, the elucidation of which will advance the current understanding of marine ecosystems. This study characterizes the interplay between NCLDVs and the eukaryotic plankton community (EPC) in the sub-Arctic area using metagenomics and metabarcoding to investigate NCLDVs and EPC, respectively, in the Kongsfjorden ecosystem of Svalbard (Norway) in April and June 2018. Gyrodinium helveticum (Dinophyceae) is the most prevalent eukaryotic taxon in the EPC in April, during which time Mimiviridae (31.8%), Poxviridae (25.1%), Phycodnaviridae (14.7%) and Pandoraviridae (13.1%) predominate. However, in June, the predominant taxon is Aureococcus anophagefferens (Pelagophyceae), and the NCLDVs, Poxviridae (32.9%), Mimiviridae (29.1%), and Phycodnaviridae (18.5%) appear in higher proportions with an increase in Pelagophyceae, Bacillariophyceae, and Chlorophyta groups. Thus, differences in NCLDVs may be caused by changes in EPC composition in response to environmental changes, such as increases in water temperature and light intensity. Taken together, these findings are particularly relevant considering the anticipated impact of NCLDV-induced EPC control mechanisms on polar regions and, therefore, improve the understanding of the Sub-Arctic Kongsfjorden ecosystem.