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Virioplankton assemblages from challenger deep, the deepest place in the oceans

Hadal ocean biosphere, that is, the deepest part of the world’s oceans, harbors a unique microbial community, suggesting a potential uncovered co-occurring virioplankton assemblage. Herein, we reveal the unique virioplankton assemblages of the Challenger Deep, comprising 95,813 non-redundant viral contigs from the surface to the hadal zone. Almost all of the dominant viral contigs in the hadal zone were unclassified, potentially related to Alteromonadales and Oceanospirillales. 2,586 viral auxiliary metabolic genes from 132 different KEGG orthologous groups were mainly related to the carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and arsenic metabolism. Lysogenic viral production and integrase genes were augmented in the hadal zone, suggesting the prevalence of viral lysogenic life strategy. Abundant rve genes in the hadal zone, which function as transposase in the caudoviruses, further suggest the prevalence of viral-mediated horizontal gene transfer. This study provides fundamental insights into the virioplankton assemblages of the hadal zone, reinforcing the necessity of incorporating virioplankton into the hadal biogeochemical cycles.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Editorial: Deep-sea observation equipment and exploration technology

The increasing interest in deep-sea exploration is a crucial catalyst for driving advancements in deep-sea observation technology research. Numerous sophisticated sensors have been developed to facilitate comprehensive studies in deep-sea physics, chemistry, and geology. For example, cutting-edge small and compact seabed samplers are now employed on various platforms, such as Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), and Human-Operated Vehicles (HOVs), enabling observation of the hadal zone. Additionally, Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors are routinely utilized for ocean wave observation. This Research Topic aims to foster new insights into ocean exploration and observation technology, including ocean sensor technology, ocean observation platforms, and ocean observation reliability technology.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Comparative Genomic Analysis of Labrenzia aggregata (Alphaproteobacteria) Strains Isolated From the Mariana Trench: Insights Into the Metabolic Potentials and Biogeochemical Functions

Hadal zones are marine environments deeper than 6,000 m, most of which comprise oceanic trenches. Microbes thriving at such depth experience high hydrostatic pressure and low temperature. The genomic potentials of these microbes to such extreme environments are largely unknown. Here, we compare five complete genomes of bacterial strains belonging to Labrenzia aggregata ( Alphaproteobacteria ), including four from the Mariana Trench at depths up to 9,600 m and one reference from surface seawater of the East China Sea, to uncover the genomic potentials of this species. Genomic investigation suggests all the five strains of L. aggregata as participants in nitrogen and sulfur cycles, including denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), thiosulfate oxidation, and dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) biosynthesis and degradation. Further comparisons show that, among the five strains, 85% gene functions are similar with 96.7% of them encoded on the chromosomes, whereas the numbers of functional specific genes related to osmoregulation, antibiotic resistance, viral infection, and secondary metabolite biosynthesis are majorly contributed by the differential plasmids. A following analysis suggests the plasmidic gene numbers increase along with isolation depth and most plasmids are dissimilar among the five strains. These findings provide a better understanding of genomic potentials in the same species throughout a deep-sea water column and address the importance of externally originated plasmidic genes putatively shaped by deep-sea environment.

Zhong, Haohui↗