Antarctic rhizosphere and soil viromes

Viruses play a crucial role in shaping microbial communities across various Earth environments, with most of our knowledge coming from the ocean. However, the ecological functions of viruses in soil and rhizospheres have remained mostly unexplored. In this study, we aimed to assess whether bulk soil and plant rhizosphere environments influence viral communit taxonomic structure and functions. To achieve these, we conducted viral metagenomic analysis in the rhizosphere of Deschampsia antarctica and Colobanthus quitensis, as well as in bulk soil, across two locations in the Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island, Antarctica