Characterization of persistent virus-like particles in two acetate-fed methanogenic reactors

PLoS One. 2013 Nov 22;8(11):e81040. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0081040. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to characterize the morphology, size-distribution, concentration and genome size of virus-like particles (VLPs) in two acetate-fed Methanosaeta-dominated reactors to better understand the possible correlation between viruses and archaeal hosts. The study reactors were dominated by a single genus of acetoclastic methanogen, Methanosaeta, which was present at 6 to 13 times higher than the combined bacterial populations consisting of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes. Epifluorescent microscopy showed VLPs concentration of 7.1 ± 1.5 × 10(7) VLPs/ml and 8.4 ± 4.3 × 10(7) VLPs/ml in the two laboratory reactors. Observations of no detectable import of VLPs with the reactor feed combined long operational time since the last inocula were introduced suggests that the VLP populations were actively propagating in the reactors. Transmission electron microscopy images showed VLPs with morphology consistent with Siphoviridae in both reactors, and VLPs with morphologies consistent with Myoviridae in one of the reactors. The morphology, size-distribution and genome size of VLPs were distinct between reactors suggesting that unique viral populations inhabited each reactor, though the hosts of these VLPs remain unclear.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acetates / metabolism*
  • Bacteriophages / genetics
  • Bacteriophages / ultrastructure*
  • Batch Cell Culture Techniques
  • Bioreactors*
  • Euryarchaeota / classification
  • Euryarchaeota / physiology*
  • Euryarchaeota / virology*
  • Genome Size
  • Genome, Viral
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Viral Load

Substances

  • Acetates

Associated data

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Grants and funding

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant number CBE-0930877. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.