In:
Nature Communications, Springer Science and Business Media LLC, Vol. 15, No. 1 ( 2024-04-02)
Abstract:
Phosphorus (P) limitation of ecosystem processes is widespread in terrestrial habitats. While a few auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) in bacteriophages from aquatic habitats are reported to have the potential to enhance P-acquisition ability of their hosts, little is known about the diversity and potential ecological function of P-acquisition genes encoded by terrestrial bacteriophages. Here, we analyze 333 soil metagenomes from five terrestrial habitat types across China and identify 75 viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs) that encode 105 P-acquisition AMGs. These AMGs span 17 distinct functional genes involved in four primary processes of microbial P-acquisition. Among them, over 60% (11/17) have not been reported previously. We experimentally verify in-vitro enzymatic activities of two pyrophosphatases and one alkaline phosphatase encoded by P-acquisition vOTUs. Thirty-six percent of the 75 P-acquisition vOTUs are detectable in a published global topsoil metagenome dataset. Further analyses reveal that, under certain circumstances, the identified P-acquisition AMGs have a greater influence on soil P availability and are more dominant in soil metatranscriptomes than their corresponding bacterial genes. Overall, our results reinforce the necessity of incorporating viral contributions into biogeochemical P cycling.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
2041-1723
DOI:
10.1038/s41467-024-47214-7
Language:
English
Publisher:
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Publication Date:
2024
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2553671-0
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