Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39753667›Full record

ArticleNature microbiology2025

Unravelling viral ecology and evolution over 20 years in a freshwater lake.

Zhichao Zhou, Patricia Q Tran, Cody Martin, Robin R Rohwer, Brett J Baker, Katherine D McMahon, Karthik Anantharaman

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nature microbiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
22citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

22 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Hawaiian Geothermal Fumaroles Contain Diverse and Novel Viruses.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026
    Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Review
  16. A genomic view of Earth's biomes.Nature reviews. Genetics · 2026
    Review
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Zhichao ZhouDepartment of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9120-6762
Patricia Q TranDepartment of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3948-3938
Cody MartinDepartment of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7610-9537
Robin R RohwerDepartment of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2664-6489
Brett J BakerDepartment of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5971-1021
Katherine D McMahonDepartment of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
Karthik AnantharamanDepartment of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA. karthik@bact.wisc.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9584-2491

Funding

NSF | BIO | Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI) DBI2047598
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

As freshwater lakes undergo rapid anthropogenic change, long-term studies reveal key microbial dynamics, evolutionary shifts and biogeochemical interactions, yet the vital role of viruses remains overlooked. Here, leveraging a 20 year time series from Lake Mendota, WI, USA, we characterized 1.3 million viral genomes across time, seasonality and environmental factors. Double-stranded DNA phages from the class Caudoviricetes dominated the community. We identified 574 auxiliary metabolic gene families representing over 140,000 auxiliary metabolic genes, including important genes such as psbA (photosynthesis), pmoC (methane oxidation) and katG (hydrogen peroxide decomposition), which were consistently present and active across decades and seasons. Positive associations and niche differentiation between virus-host pairs, including keystone Cyanobacteria, methanotrophs and Nanopelagicales, emerged during seasonal changes. Inorganic carbon and ammonium influenced viral abundances, underscoring viral roles in both 'top-down' and 'bottom-up' interactions. Evolutionary processes favoured fitness genes, reduced genomic heterogeneity and dominant sub-populations. This study transforms understanding of viral ecology and evolution in Earth's microbiomes.

Indexed as

BacteriophagesLakesVirusesCyanobacteriaEvolution, MolecularGenome, ViralMicrobiotaPhylogenySeasonsWisconsin

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.