Soil pH, Calcium Content and Bacteria as Major Factors Responsible for the Distribution of the Known Fraction of the DNA Bacteriophage Populations in Soils of Luxembourg

Abstract

Bacteriophages participate in soil life by influencing bacterial community structure and function, biogeochemical cycling and horizontal gene transfer. Despite their great abundance, diversity, and importance in microbial processes, they remain little explored in environmental studies. The influence of abiotic factors on the persistence of bacteriophages is now recognized; however, it has been mainly studied under experimental conditions. This study aimed to determine whether the abiotic factors well-known to influence bacteriophage persistence also control the natural distribution of the known DNA bacteriophage populations. To this end, soil from eight study sites including forests and grasslands located in the Attert River basin (Grand Duchy of Luxembourg) were sampled, covering different soil and land cover characteristics. Shotgun metagenomics, reference-based bioinformatics and statistical analyses allowed characterising the diversity of known DNA bacteriophage and bacterial communities. After combining soil properties with the identified DNA bacteriophage populations, our in-situ study highlighted the influence of pH and calcium cations on the diversity of the known fraction of the soil DNA bacteriophages. More interestingly, significant relationships were established between bacteriophage and bacterial populations. This study provides new insights into the importance of abiotic and biotic factors in the distribution of DNA bacteriophages and the natural ecology of terrestrial bacteriophages.

Burkholderia contaminans Bacteriophage CSP3 Requires O-Antigen Polysaccharides for Infection

“…However, the region of the soil from which CSP3 was isolated typically ranges from pH levels of 4 to 6 ( 58 ), and it is probable that CSP3 virions are adapted to these acidic conditions. To corroborate this finding, a metagenomics study found that soils which had low pH were highly abundant in Lessievirus phages ( 59 ), further justifying that CSP3, and potentially Lessievirus members, can tolerate low-pH environments. At temperatures of 10°C to 60°C, CSP3 remains stable and viable.…”