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1: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Nov 27;104(48):19102-7. Epub 2007 Nov 19.
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Virus movement maintains local virus population diversity.

Snyder JC, Wiedenheft B, Lavin M, Roberto FF, Spuhler J, Ortmann AC, Douglas T, Young M.

Thermal Biology Institute, Department of Microbiology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.

Viruses are the largest reservoir of genetic material on the planet, yet little is known about the population dynamics of any virus within its natural environment. Over a 2-year period, we monitored the diversity of two archaeal viruses found in hot springs within Yellowstone National Park (YNP). Both temporal phylogeny and neutral biodiversity models reveal that virus diversity in these local environments is not being maintained by mutation but rather by high rates of immigration from a globally distributed metacommunity. These results indicate that geographically isolated hot springs are readily able to exchange viruses. The importance of virus movement is supported by the detection of virus particles in air samples collected over YNP hot springs and by their detection in metacommunity sequencing projects conducted in the Sargasso Sea. Rapid rates of virus movement are not expected to be unique to these archaeal viruses but rather a common feature among virus metacommunities. The finding that virus immigration rather than mutation can dominate community structure has significant implications for understanding virus circulation and the role that viruses play in ecology and evolution by providing a reservoir of mobile genetic material.

Publication Types:
PMID: 18025457 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

PMCID: PMC2141915