Analysis reveals significant bacteriophage diversity in Lake Baikal, indicating novel taxonomic classifications including Baikalvirus.
We analyzed the first research results from the literature concerning autochthonous bacteriophages, a new link of a microbial loop in the ecosystem of Lake Baikal. In a short time, the cutting-edge study methods revealed a significant taxonomic diversity of phages in various biotopes of the lake in all seasons of the year and at all depths. For the first time, we examined a size structure and abundance of Baikal bacteriophages as well as the genetic diversity of T4-like phages in the surface microlayer and biofilms from biogenic and abiogenic substrates of the lake. The whole genome of the new Baikal bacteriophage, PaBG, was determined. The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) ratified it as a novel genus Baikalvirus.
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Drucker et al. (2025) studied this question.
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