Researchers at The Ohio State University are making significant strides in leveraging ocean-based viruses to tackle climate change. By combining genomic sequencing data with artificial intelligence analysis, scientists have identified 340 known metabolic pathways in the global oceans, with 128 of these pathways also present in ocean viruses.

Matthew Sullivan, professor of microbiology at The Ohio State University, was part of the Tara Oceans Consortium, a three-year study focusing on the impact of climate change on the world's oceans. The team collected 35,000 water samples containing a diverse microbial population, which revealed the crucial role of viruses in carbon metabolism.

The study suggests that viruses play a key role in converting carbon into organic forms that can sink to the ocean floor, ultimately aiding in carbon sequestration. Sullivan's lab is working towards engineering the ocean microbiome to enhance carbon capture and combat climate change effects.

Presenting their research at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Denver, Sullivan highlighted the potential of using viruses to manipulate marine microbes for increased carbon conversion. This approach aims to strengthen the ocean's role as a carbon sink, mitigating the effects of climate change.

Moreover, Sullivan and his team are exploring the transferability of these findings to human settings, such as aiding in spinal cord injury recovery and combating infections in burn wounds using engineered microbiomes. In parallel efforts, researchers are utilizing phages as geoengineering tools in the permafrost of northern Sweden, where microbial activity influences and responds to climate change as the frozen soil thaws.

Through the newly developed community metabolic modeling, researchers are gaining insights into both the intended benefits and potential unintended consequences of using viruses to engineer microbiomes. Virginia Rich, an associate professor of microbiology at Ohio State, is co-director of the EMERGE Biology Integration Institute, which focuses on understanding how microbiomes respond to permafrost thaw and climate interactions.

The study sheds light on the promising role of ocean viruses in climate change mitigation and offers a new perspective on utilizing viruses to engineer microbiomes for environmental and health-related benefits.

The article is provided by The Ohio State University.