Viral Metagenomes from water systems in the Mediterranean Sea

The Water Framework Directive (WFD; 2000/60/EC) is the European umbrella for the assessment and regulation of ecological quality of water systems (lakes, rivers, transitional waters, coastal waters). The scope of WFD is to improve the ecological status of the aquatic ecosystems. To do so, a long time-series of monitoring campaigns within WFD exists with the ultimate goal to protect coastal ecosystems from degradation. Further, WFD project employs the calculation and improvement of ecological quality indices for the definition and assessment of eutrophication. In the submitted sub-project within WFD, the viral metagenome of 15 samples collected in 2014 and 2015 is sequenced and analyzed for several genes for the study of taxonomy and potential function of double-stranded DNA viruses.

《水框架指令》（Water Framework Directive，简称WFD，指令编号2000/60/EC）是欧盟层面针对湖泊、河流、过渡水域、近海水域等各类水系统的生态质量开展评估与监管的统领性框架。该指令的核心目标为改善水生生态系统的生态状况。为此，WFD框架下已建立长期时序监测体系，其终极目的是保护近岸生态系统免受退化威胁。此外，WFD相关项目通过计算与优化生态质量指数，实现对富营养化的界定与评估。在本次提交的WFD子项目中，研究人员对2014年至2015年采集的15份样本的病毒宏基因组进行了测序，并针对多个基因展开分析，以研究双链DNA病毒的分类学特征与潜在功能。