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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, July 2006, p. 4610-4618, Vol. 72, No. 7
0099-2240/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.00168-06
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Seasonal Variations in Virus-Host Populations in Norwegian Coastal Waters: Focusing on the Cyanophage Community Infecting Marine Synechococcus spp.

Ruth-Anne Sandaa* and Aud Larsen

University of Bergen, Department of Biology, P.O. Box 7800, N-5020 Bergen, Norway

Received 23 January 2006/ Accepted 25 April 2006

Viruses are ubiquitous components of the marine ecosystem. In the current study we investigated seasonal variations in the viral community in Norwegian coastal waters by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The results demonstrated that the viral community was diverse, displaying dynamic seasonal variation, and that viral populations of 29 different sizes in the range from 26 to 500 kb were present. Virus populations from 260 to 500 kb and dominating autotrophic pico- and nanoeukaryotes showed similar dynamic variations. Using flow cytometry and real-time PCR, we focused in particular on one host-virus system: Synechococcus spp. and cyanophages. The two groups covaried throughout the year and were found in the highest amounts in fall with concentrations of 7.3 x 104 Synechococcus cells ml–1 and 7.2 x 103 cyanophage ml–1. By using primers targeting the g20 gene in PCRs on DNA extracted from PFGE bands, we demonstrated that cyanophages were found in a genomic size range of 26 to 380 kb. The genetic richness of the cyanophage community, determined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of PCR-amplified g20 gene fragments, revealed seasonal shifts in the populations, with one community dominating in spring and summer and a different one dominating in fall. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequences originating from PFGE and DGGE bands grouped the sequences into three groups, all with homology to cyanomyoviruses present in cultures. Our results show that the cyanophage community in Norwegian coastal waters is dynamic and genetically diverse and has a surprisingly wide genomic size range.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: University of Bergen, Department of Biology, P.O. Box 7800, N-5020 Bergen, Norway. Phone: 47-55584646. Fax: 47-55589671. E-mail: ruth.sandaa{at}bio.uib.no.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, July 2006, p. 4610-4618, Vol. 72, No. 7
0099-2240/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.00168-06
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

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  • Chenard, C., Suttle, C. A. (2008). Phylogenetic Diversity of Sequences of Cyanophage Photosynthetic Gene psbA in Marine and Freshwaters. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74: 5317-5324 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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