MSGID: 1:317/3 64a794f9
PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08
TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08
 Unveiling the secret of viruses-bacteria interactions in human-made
environments 

  Date:
      July 6, 2023
  Source:
      City University of Hong Kong
  Summary:
      Viruses in human-made environments cause public health concerns,
      but they are generally less studied than bacteria. A recent study
      led by environmental scientists provided the first evidence of
      frequent interactions between viruses and bacteria in human-made
      environments. It found that viruses can potentially help host
      bacteria adapt and survive in nutrient-depleted human-made
      environments through a unique gene insertion.


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FULL STORY
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Viruses in human-made environments cause public health concerns, but
they are generally less studied than bacteria. A recent study led by
environmental scientists from City University of Hong Kong (CityU)
provided the first evidence of frequent interactions between viruses
and bacteria in human-made environments. It found that viruses can
potentially help host bacteria adapt and survive in nutrient-depleted
human-made environments through a unique gene insertion.

By understanding these virus-bacteria interactions and identifying the
possible spread of antibiotic resistance genes, the research team hopes
its latest findings can help derive effective control strategies to
minimize human exposure to harmful microorganisms.

Virus-host interactions are central to the ecology and evolution
of microbial communities in diverse ecosystems. However, the immune
mechanisms of infection and the virus-host interactions that occur in
human-made environments, including buildings, public space, transportation
and infrastructure, have been poorly understood.

"As more and more of the global population are living in urban areas,
the importance of hygiene in human-made environments is growing,
particularly indoor ones, as occupants inside are constantly exposed to
diverse microorganisms, which have public health implications. However,
most previous studies of human-made environments overlooked viruses," said
Professor Patrick Lee Kwan-Hon in the School of Energy and Environment
(SEE) at CityU, who led the study.

"Therefore, in our study, we comprehensively investigated viruses
in human-made environments, and we identified many novel molecular
mechanisms in which viruses and bacteria interact with each other. These
findings are important not only for basic microbial science, but also
the management of human-made environments to protect residents' health,"
added Professor Lee.

In the study, researchers collected 738 samples from different types of
human- made environments, including public facilities and residences,
in Hong Kong.

They collected the samples mainly from the surfaces of handrails,
bollards, floors, poles, doorknobs and skin of residents. Then they used
the metagenomic sequencing technique for analysis.

The analysis resulted in many interesting discoveries. First, the data
showed that viruses are integral members of microbial communities in
human-made environments. Among them, bacteriophages, a kind of virus that
infects and replicates within bacteria, are all over various surfaces
in human-made environments. The team also identified many viruses that
are distinct from those in other ecosystems.

Second, the team found evidence of viruses inserting genes that control a
specific step in a metabolic pathway and even the entire metabolic pathway
into bacteria hosts. This suggests that viruses could help bacteria adapt
and coevolve to survive in nutrient-depleted human-made environments.

The study also found diverse and novel immune systems against viruses
in bacteria, and small proteins in viruses that can evade bacteria
immune systems.

These results suggest that viruses and bacteria hosts frequently interact
with each other in human-made environments and that they each have
mechanisms to defend against each other.

They also detected antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in viruses on
human skin and frequently touched indoor surfaces. These ARG-carrying
viruses might infect bacterial hosts, and ARGs might be horizontally
transferred between bacterial species. Therefore, the role played by
viruses in human-made environments in the development of antibiotic
resistance in bacteria is crucial and warrants further investigation.

"Our study shows that the diversity, composition, metabolic functions and
lifestyle of viruses vary, depending on the conditions of each human-made
environment," said Professor Lee. "Therefore, it is important to develop
customized control strategies to minimize human exposure to harmful
microorganisms and to better protect residents' health. Our findings
can contribute to this goal by enhancing the fundamental understanding
of complex virus-bacteria interactions in human-made environments."
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Journal Reference:
   1. Shicong Du, Xinzhao Tong, Alvin C. K. Lai, Chak K. Chan,
   Christopher E.

      Mason, Patrick K. H. Lee. Highly host-linked viromes in the built
      environment possess habitat-dependent diversity and functions for
      potential virus-host coevolution. Nature Communications, 2023; 14
      (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38400-0
==========================================================================

Link to news story:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230706124533.htm

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