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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2024.09.26.614923

Diverse defense systems synergistically drive the microbe-virus arms race in deep sea cold seeps

Han, Y.·Liao, J.·Li, C.·Xing, F.·Peng, J.·Liu, X.·Xie, W.·Wu, F.·Jian, H.·Cheng, R.·Dong, X.
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Abstract

Cold seeps host diverse microbes and viruses with numerous unexplored defense and anti-defense systems. Analysis of 3,813 microbial and 13,336 viral genomes from 191 metagenomes across 17 cold seep sites reveals extensive microbial defense repertoires, with over 60% representing candidate systems. Experimental validation confirms that several candidates protect against viral infection. These defense systems frequently co-occur, suggesting potential synergistic interactions, and are broadly distributed across sediments. In response, viruses have evolved diverse anti-defense genes, and the concurrent presence of multiple viral and microbial systems highlights intricate coevolution. Functionally critical lineages, such as anaerobic methanotrophic archaea, sulfate-reducing bacteria, and diazotrophs, appear to modify their defensive strategies under ecological and environmental pressures; for example, sulfate-reducing bacteria harbor multiple Gabija systems while corresponding viruses carry anti-Gabija genes, illustrating specific coevolutionary adaptations. Overall, these findings underscore the critical role of virus-microbe interactions in shaping microbial metabolic functions and environmental adaptation in deep-sea ecosystems.

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Han, Y., Liao, J., Li, C., Xing, F., Peng, J., Liu, X., Xie, W., Wu, F., Jian, H., Cheng, R., Dong, X.. 2024-09-26. Diverse defense systems synergistically drive the microbe-virus arms race in deep sea cold seeps. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.09.26.614923

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