The only constant is change: ecology and evolution of phage-host interactions in a model ecosystem

Abstract:: Viruses are abundant, diverse and ubiquitous in the environment. The interactions between viruses and microbes are dynamic and have functional and evolutionary consequences. Wastewater treatment microbial communities provide an environmentally important model system for studying these interactions, due to the influence of viruses on community stability and nutrient removal efficiency. We propose to use novel metagenomic approaches to investigate the temporal changes in wastewater community membership, track evolutionary change in virus-host populations, and examine gene expression during a major viral attack. This work will provide new insights into virus-microbe interactions and co-evolution, and tools for wastewater treatment monitoring.
Grant type:: ARC Discovery Projects
Funded by:: Australian Research Council

The University of Queensland