Time Series Data Provide Insights into the Evolution and Abundance of One of the Most Abundant Viruses in the Marine Virosphere: The Uncultured Pelagiphages vSAG 37-F6

Abstract

Viruses play a pivotal role in ecosystems by influencing biochemical cycles and impacting the structure and evolution of their host cells. The widespread pelagiphages infect Pelagibacter spp., the most abundant marine microbe on Earth, and thus play a significant role in carbon transformation through the viral shunt. Among these viruses, the uncultured lytic pelagiphage vSAG 37-F6, uncovered by single-virus genomics, is likely the most numerous virus in the ocean. While previous research has delved into the diversity and spatial distribution of vSAG 37-F6, there is still a gap in understanding its temporal dynamics, hindering our insight into its ecological impact. We explored the temporal dynamics of vSAG 37-F6, assessing periodic fluctuations in abundance and evolutionary patterns using long- and short-term data series. In the long-term series (7 years), metagenomics showed negative selection acting on all viral genes, with a highly conserved overall diversity over time composed of a pool of yearly emergent, highly similar novel strains that exhibited a seasonal abundance pattern with two peaks during winter and fall and a decrease in months with higher UV radiation. Most non-synonymous polymorphisms occurred in structural viral proteins located in regions with low conformational restrictions, suggesting that many of the viral genes of this population are highly purified over its evolution. At the fine-scale resolution (24 h time series), combining digital PCR and metagenomics, we identified two peaks of cellular infection for the targeted vSAG 37-F6 viral strain (up to approximately 103 copies/ng of prokaryotic DNA), one before sunrise and the second shortly after midday. Considering the high number of co-occurring strains of this microdiverse virus, the abundance values at the species or genus level could be orders of magnitudes higher. These findings represent a significant advancement in understanding the dynamics of the potentially most abundant oceanic virus, providing valuable insights into ecologically relevant marine viruses.