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Background <p>Pelagic <i>Sargassum</i> has undergone significant range expansion and dramatic blooms in the Atlantic over the past 15&#xa0;years. This alga’s microbiome provides symbiotic functions that are believed to contribute to its ecological success. Recent research shows that <i>Sargassum</i>-associated bacteria are enriched in integrated prophages compared to the surrounding seawater and that these prophages are inducible by chemical and ultraviolet treatment.</p> Results <p>Here, we investigated a <i>Sargassum</i>-derived in vitro multispecies biofilm encompassing the dominant heterotrophic microbial members associated with <i>Sargassum</i> to probe the impacts of prophage induction on the composition of <i>Sargassum</i> microbiomes. Induction was quantified by coverage-based virus-to-host ratios in chemically induced treatments with Mitomycin C and non-induced controls, and the community composition and metabolic profiles were analyzed after Mitomycin C treatment. Chemical induction led to a significant increase in abundance and virus-to-host ratio of viral genomes linked to <i>Vibrio</i> metagenome-assembled genomes. This was accompanied by altered biofilm community composition, with a reduction in <i>Vibrio</i> bacterial abundance that opened niche space for other biofilm members in the genera <i>Pseudoalteromonas</i>, <i>Alteromonas</i>, and <i>Cobetia</i>. The induced <i>Vibrio</i>-associated phages encoded genes involved in quorum sensing, biofilm formation, virulence, and host metabolism. Induction led to the depletion of 17 metabolic modules, including functions related to energy metabolism and nitrogen utilization.</p> Conclusion <p>Due to the high frequency of lysogeny in the <i>Sargassum</i> microbiome and the susceptibility of prophages to chemical and ultraviolet light induction, these results suggest that prophage integration and induction are mechanisms that contribute to structuring the <i>Sargassum</i> microbiome and its functional profiles, potentially aiding in microbiome flexibility in changing environmental contexts.</p>

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Chemical prophage induction selectively removes Vibrio from a pelagic Sargassum-derived multispecies biofilm

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月16日

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  • Alexandra K. Stiffler,
  • Natascha S. Varona,
  • Bailey A. Wallace,
  • Cynthia B. Silveira

摘要

Background

Pelagic Sargassum has undergone significant range expansion and dramatic blooms in the Atlantic over the past 15 years. This alga’s microbiome provides symbiotic functions that are believed to contribute to its ecological success. Recent research shows that Sargassum-associated bacteria are enriched in integrated prophages compared to the surrounding seawater and that these prophages are inducible by chemical and ultraviolet treatment.

Results

Here, we investigated a Sargassum-derived in vitro multispecies biofilm encompassing the dominant heterotrophic microbial members associated with Sargassum to probe the impacts of prophage induction on the composition of Sargassum microbiomes. Induction was quantified by coverage-based virus-to-host ratios in chemically induced treatments with Mitomycin C and non-induced controls, and the community composition and metabolic profiles were analyzed after Mitomycin C treatment. Chemical induction led to a significant increase in abundance and virus-to-host ratio of viral genomes linked to Vibrio metagenome-assembled genomes. This was accompanied by altered biofilm community composition, with a reduction in Vibrio bacterial abundance that opened niche space for other biofilm members in the genera Pseudoalteromonas, Alteromonas, and Cobetia. The induced Vibrio-associated phages encoded genes involved in quorum sensing, biofilm formation, virulence, and host metabolism. Induction led to the depletion of 17 metabolic modules, including functions related to energy metabolism and nitrogen utilization.

Conclusion

Due to the high frequency of lysogeny in the Sargassum microbiome and the susceptibility of prophages to chemical and ultraviolet light induction, these results suggest that prophage integration and induction are mechanisms that contribute to structuring the Sargassum microbiome and its functional profiles, potentially aiding in microbiome flexibility in changing environmental contexts.