Lievens EJP, Agarkova IV, Dunigan DD, Van Etten JL, Becks L. Efficient assays to quantify the life history traits of algal viruses.
Appl Environ Microbiol 2023;
89:e0165923. [PMID:
38092674 PMCID:
PMC10734466 DOI:
10.1128/aem.01659-23]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE
Viruses play a crucial role in microbial ecosystems by liberating nutrients and regulating the growth of their hosts. These effects are governed by viral life history traits, i.e., by the traits determining viral reproduction and survival. Understanding these traits is essential to predicting viral effects, but measuring them is generally labor intensive. In this study, we present efficient methods to quantify the full life cycle of lytic viruses. We developed these methods for viruses infecting unicellular Chlorella algae but expect them to be applicable to other lytic viruses that can be quantified by flow cytometry. By making viral phenotypes accessible, our methods will support research into the diversity and ecological effects of microbial viruses.
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