Characterization of deep-sea viruses reveals their unexpected diversity and roles in facilitating host metabolism of complex organic matter

Viruses exert a pervasive influence on biogeochemical cycles in deep-sea ecosystems. By integrating multi-omics and viral isolation data from four distinct deep-sea sediment sites, we uncover the diversity of DNA and RNA viral communities, which vary significantly across geographically separated cold seep and seamount environments. Host range predictions reveal both prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities are susceptible to viral infection. Metatranscriptomic analyses suggest viral functional genes are actively expressed, potentially enhancing host metabolism of complex organic matter (COM). Indeed, purified viruses from deep-sea sediments were shown to facilitate COM metabolism in certain deep-sea microorganisms, enabling the isolation of previously uncultured bacterial taxa. Notably, in these newly isolated bacteria, polysaccharides induced chronic virus release without cell lysis, a process that may assist host metabolism of polysaccharides. Our findings illuminate the diversity and roles of viral communities in distinct deep-sea sediments, underscoring their significant contribution to COM degradation and the deep-sea carbon cycle.