This week in Microbiology Spectrum, an international group of researchers report the discovery of a new virus isolated from sediment brought up from a depth of 8,900 meters. The virus is a bacteriophage, or a virus that infects and replicates inside bacteria, and bacteriophages are believed to be the most abundant life forms on the planet. The newly found phage infects bacteria in the phylum Halomonas, which are often found in sediments from the deep seas and from hydrothermal vents, geyser-like openings on the seafloor that release streams of heated water. To our best knowledge, this is the deepest known isolated phage in the global ocean.
— source American Society for Microbiology | Sep 20, 2023