Cave Pools in Carlsbad Caverns National Park Contain Diverse Bacteriophage Communities and Novel Viral Sequences

Carlsbad Caverns National Park harbors a diverse and novel viral community, with viral-like particles (VLPs) outnumbering microorganisms by approximately 22:1 across four cave pools. This study reveals that caves may serve as significant repositories for unexplored viromes, challenging the notion that such environments are less biodiverse than aquatic systems. While viral communities in tourist-accessible pools were more similar to each other, they diverged from those in less visited areas, contrasting with bacterial community patterns linked to pool geochemistry. Viral metagenomics identified novel sequences and auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs), underscoring the potential for caves to host unique microbial interactions and metabolic potentials.

Ulbrich, J., Jobe, N. E., Jones, D. S., & Kieft, T. L. (2024). Cave Pools in Carlsbad Caverns National Park Contain Diverse Bacteriophage Communities and Novel Viral Sequences. Microbial Ecology, 87(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-024-02479-9