NETWORK ANALYSIS REVEALS CONSERVED PROTEIN CLUSTERS AND RHIZOSPHERE-DRIVEN BIOGEOGRAPHY IN BRADYRHIZOBIUM PHAGES

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Author(s)Spencer Catherine Toth
Date Accessioned2025-07-29T20:14:56Z
Date Available2025-07-29T20:14:56Z
Publication Date2025-05
AbstractBradyrhizobia are nitrogen-fixing bacteria that form symbiotic nodules on the roots of leguminous plants, supplying their hosts with fixed nitrogen in exchange for photosynthetic products. This symbiosis reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, which in excess can lead to eutrophication and toxic algal blooms, ultimately contribute to climate change. Consequently, the Bradyrhizobium-legume relationship is recognized for its economic, ecological, and agricultural significance. However, bacteriophages can shape this mutualistic relationship by regulating host bacterial populations. The impact of bacteriophages on soil nutrient cycles and food web interactions remains poorly understood, therefore contributing to the need for further investigation into soil viral populations and their ecological roles. In this study, we used previously isolated and sequenced Bradyrhizobium phage (bradyphage) population representative genomes from Delaware soybean field soil samples as references. Through metagenomic analysis, we identified uncultivated viral genomes (UViGs) in environmental samples that share significant protein homology with these bradyphages. Our results reveal conserved functional gene groups, especially those involved in phage infection and replication, indicating the essential roles of structural and DNA synthesis proteins. We also found bradyphages to exhibit strong genomic similarity to UViGs from soil and rhizosphere environments, suggesting adaptation to similar ecological niches. By identifying conserved gene clusters and characterizing genome features of bradyphages, this work provides a foundation for future research on viral-host interactions, with implications for engineering phages to enhance nitrogen fixation in sustainable agriculture. Our findings expand the known diversity of soil viruses and highlight the importance of phage research in understanding and managing soil microbial communities.
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URLhttps://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/36419
Languageen_US
PublisherUniversity of Delaware
TitleNETWORK ANALYSIS REVEALS CONSERVED PROTEIN CLUSTERS AND RHIZOSPHERE-DRIVEN BIOGEOGRAPHY IN BRADYRHIZOBIUM PHAGES
TypeThesis
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