Epigenome analysis of an algae-infecting giant virus reveals a unique methylation motif catalogue

Abstract

DNA methylation can epigenetically alter gene expression and serve as a mechanism for genomic stabilization. Advancements in long-read sequencing technology have allowed for increased exploration into the methylation profiles of various organisms, including viruses. Studies into the Nucleocytoviricota phylum of giant dsDNA viruses have revealed unique strategies for genomic methylation. However, given the diversity across this phylum, further inquiries into specific lineages are necessary. Kratosvirus quantuckense is predicted to encode six distinct methyltransferases, which bear homology to other methyltransferases across the many clades of Nucleocytoviricota. We found that this virus methylates its own DNA with high consistency and targets up to nine different motifs for DNA adenine methylation. Methylation levels varied depending on the associated motif. Likewise, distinct motifs were enriched within unique genomic regions. Collectively this suggests that each methyltransferase targets unique DNA regions and may suggest they have varying functionality. This work reveals an array of methyltransferase activity in Kratosvirus quantuckense and begins to implicate the importance of DNA methylation to the Nucleocytoviricota infection cycle.