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    2026 International SPP 2330 Symposium Berlin

    5–7 Oct 2026
    Harnack-Haus
    Europe/Berlin timezone

    Contact/Support: SPP 2330

    Exploring virus dynamics in a Nanobdellati Co-culture system

    6 Oct 2026, 11:30
    15m
    Short-talk only Viral impact on microbial communities Viral impact on microbial communities

    Speaker

    Ms Sabine Schwarzer (Biology of Archaea and Viruses, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.)

    Description

    Archaea are infected by structurally diverse viruses that are important drivers of microbial evolution. However, archaeal virus infections are typically studied in binary host-virus systems, while the influence of additional microbial partners on infection dynamics remains poorly understood. The archaeal kingdom Nanobdellati (formerly DPANN) comprises ultra-small symbionts with reduced genomes and cell sizes, yet their ecology and interactions with viruses remain largely unexplored because of limited cultivability.
    In this study, we explored the interactions between the ultra-small archaeon YN4 of the order Nanobdellales, its archaeal host Metallosphaera hakonensis YN4HA, and the virus Metallosphaera Turreted Icosahedral Virus 4 (MTIV4), using a newly established, stable tripartite co-culture system. We combined physiological, genomic, transcriptomic, glycoproteomic, cryo-electron tomographic, and live-cell imaging approaches to characterise the three partners. Cryo-electron tomography revealed that the Nanobdellales ectosymbiont forms a direct connection with its host through a cone-shaped attachment organelle. Although MTIV4 infects only YN4HA and impairs host growth, the presence of the YN4 symbiont substantially mitigated this virus-induced growth inhibition. Our results show that an obligate symbiont can confer protection against viral infection, suggesting that the host-symbiont relationship may shift from a parasitic interaction towards a defensive partnership. Glycoanalysis further suggests that remodelling of host cell-surface glycans, triggered by the YN4 symbiont, may contribute to this protection.
    This study provides the first in-depth exploration of a tripartite host-symbiont-virus system in archaea and highlights the importance of considering microbial communities when studying viral ecology and evolution.

    Reference #1

    A Tripartite Co-culture System Reveals Defensive Mutualism Between a Nanobdellati Symbiont and Its Host
    Hiroyuki D Sakai, Sabine Schwarzer, Satoshi Nakagawa, Milad Reyhani, Shigeru Shimamura, Matthew D Johnson, Yuya Tsukamoto, Michiru Shimizu, Ken Takai, Takuro Nunoura, Norio Kurosawa, Moriya Ohkuma, Thomas Hackl, Debnath Ghosal, Tessa Quax
    bioRxiv 2026.06.04.730037; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.06.04.730037

    Author

    Ms Sabine Schwarzer (Biology of Archaea and Viruses, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.)

    Co-authors

    Mr Hiroyuki D. Sakai (Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0074, Japan.; Department of Science and Engineering for Sustainable Innovation, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Soka University, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-8577, Japan.; Research Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment, Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, 305-8567, Japan) Mr Satoshi Nakagawa (Division of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.; Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan.; Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institute of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.) Mr Milad Reyhani (Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.; ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia) Shigeru Shimamura (Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan.) Mr Matthew D. Johnson (Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.; ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia) Yuya Tsukamoto (Department of Earth Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.) Michiru Shimizu (Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0074, Japan) Mr Ken Takai (Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan.; Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institute of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.) Mr Takuro Nunoura (Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan.) Norio Kurosawa (Department of Science and Engineering for Sustainable Innovation, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Soka University, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-8577, Japan.) Moriya Ohkuma (Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0074, Japan.) Mr Thomas Hackl (Eco-Evolutionary Bioinformatics, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIEFS), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.) Mr Debnath Ghosal (Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.; ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia) Ms Tessa E.F. Quax (Biology of Archaea and Viruses, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.)

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