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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   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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   provided by City_University_of_Hong_Kong. Note: Content may be edited   
   for style and length.   
      
      
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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   
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   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230706124533.htm   
      
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