Bacteriophages of Lake Baikal in the structure of the new international classification ICTV (analytical overview)

Drucker, Valentin; Gorshkova, Anna

doi:10.31951/2658-3518-2025-A-4-566

Authors

Drucker V.V. ¹
Gorshkova А.S. ¹

¹

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31951/2658-3518-2025-A-4-566

Keywords:

Lake Baikal, autochthonous bacteriophages, electron microscopy, virological, molecular genetic methods, taxonomic diversity, modern microbial loop

Abstract

We analyzed the first research results from the literature concerning autochthonous bacteriophages, a new link of a microbial loop in the ecosystem of Lake Baikal. In a short time, the cutting-edge study methods revealed a significant taxonomic diversity of phages in various biotopes of the lake in all seasons of the year and at all depths. For the first time, we examined a size structure and abundance of Baikal bacteriophages as well as the genetic diversity of T4-like phages in the surface microlayer and biofilms from biogenic and abiogenic substrates of the lake. The whole genome of the new Baikal bacteriophage, PaBG, was determined. The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) ratified it as a novel genus Baikalvirus.