Diversity and ecological potentials of viral assemblages from the seamount sediments of the Northwest Pacific Ocean

Abstract

<p>Viruses are the most abundant life forms in the sea, influencing the community structure and metabolism of host cells and biogeochemical cycles. However, the diversity of viruses and their ecological roles within seamount sediments ecosystems, natural microbiota havens characterized by high biodiversity, remain largely unknown. Here, the seamount viral genome (SMVG) dataset, based on a metagenomic analysis of twelve seamount sediment samples collected from the seamount regions of the Northwest Pacific Ocean, was established. A total of 78,069 viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs) were found, spanning 18 viral classes and 63 viral families. The detection of sixteen viral auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) suggests that viruses may participate in the metabolic processes associated with sediment microbial communities and biogeochemical cycles, including carbon, sulfur, metal, heme, and cobalamin cycling. AMGs involved in the metabolism of heme, cobalamin, and metals were more often detected in seamount sediments than in trenches, cool seeps, and hydrothermal vents. This investigation of the viral communities in these seamount sediments provides new insights into the high diversity and ecological potential of the viruses and establishes a foundation for the future study of benthic viruses from deep-sea seamounts.</p>