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Bacterial and viral PhoH sequences and metagenome-assembled genomes
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Scientists shared genetic data behind a study showing that viruses infecting soil bacteria carry a gene that helps microbes access phosphorus, a nutrient they need to survive, even when polyethylene microplastics are present. This matters because microplastic pollution is spreading through soil ecosystems, and understanding how it disrupts nutrient cycling could affect soil health, agriculture, and ultimately the food we eat.
This dataset contains sequence files used in the study “Phage-encoded PhoH alleviates phosphorus limitation under polyethylene microplastic exposure.”PhoH_bacteria.faa contains bacterial PhoH protein sequences retrieved from the NCBI RefSeq database. PhoH_virus.faa contains viral PhoH protein homologs identified from high-confidence viral sequences in the IMG/VR v4 database using the experimentally characterized phage-encoded PhoH as the query. MAGs_fna.tar.gz contains nucleotide FASTA files for 121 metagenome-assembled genomes reconstructed from control and polyethylene-exposed soil and earthworm-gut metagenomes.
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Bacterial and viral PhoH sequences and metagenome-assembled genomes
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Scientists studying soil and earthworm gut samples found that when microplastics from common plastic waste are present, certain viruses that infect bacteria carry a special gene (PhoH) that helps bacteria access phosphorus, a nutrient they need to survive. This matters because it shows microplastic pollution can quietly reshape the hidden microbial communities in soil that support plant growth and ecosystem health, which ultimately affects the food we eat. This dataset itself is a collection of genetic sequences shared so other researchers can study these bacteria-virus interactions further.
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Researchers exposed buckwheat and its rhizosphere microbiome to polylactic acid microplastics, lead, and their combination, finding that co-contamination suppressed bacterial carbon and phosphorus metabolism while enriching viral auxiliary metabolic genes—including a newly identified carbohydrate esterase confirmed to hydrolyze PLA ester bonds—suggesting viruses may play an underappreciated role in biodegradable microplastic degradation in soil.
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This review examines how microplastics in soil interact with microbial communities and viruses, forming biofilm-covered surfaces called plastispheres that alter soil ecology. Researchers explored how bacteriophages influence microbial traits through processes like horizontal gene transfer, which can both enhance plastic-degrading capabilities and spread antibiotic resistance genes. The study proposes a framework combining advanced analytical techniques like metagenomics with biotechnological approaches such as phage-assisted microbial augmentation to support soil recovery under microplastic stress.
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Scientists found that when soil contains a greater variety of biodegradable microplastics (plastic bits meant to break down naturally), it speeds up how quickly soil carbon gets broken into simpler compounds, partly because tiny viruses that infect bacteria are helping them digest tough, hard-to-break-down organic matter. This matters because soil carbon storage helps regulate climate, and this research shows that even "eco-friendly" plastics can alter soil ecosystems in ways that may release stored carbon faster than expected, a reminder that biodegradable plastics aren't necessarily harmless as they break down in the environment
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