Viruses play vital biogeochemical and ecological roles by (a) expressing auxiliary metabolic genes during infection, (b) enhancing the lateral transfer of host genes, and (c) inducing host mortality. Even in harsh and extreme environments, viruses are major players in carbon and nutrient recycling from organic matter. However, there is much that we do not yet understand about viruses and the processes mediated by them in the extreme environments such as hypersaline habitats. The Great Salt Lake (GSL) in Utah, United States is a hypersaline ecosystem where the biogeochemical role of viruses is poorly understood. This study elucidates the diversity of viruses and describes virus–host interactions in GSL sediments along a salinity gradient. The GSL sediment virosphere consisted of Haloviruses (32.07 ± 19.33%) and members of families Siphoviridae (39.12 ± 19.8%), Myoviridae (13.7 ± 6.6%), and Podoviridae (5.43 ± 0.64%). Our results demonstrate that salinity alongside the concentration of organic carbon and inorganic nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) governs the viral, bacteria, and archaeal diversity in this habitat. Computational host predictions for the GSL viruses revealed a wide host range with a dominance of viruses that infect Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes. Identification of auxiliary metabolic genes for photosynthesis (psbA), carbon fixation (rbcL, cbbL), formaldehyde assimilation (SHMT), and nitric oxide reduction (NorQ) shed light on the roles played by GSL viruses in biogeochemical cycles of global relevance.

病毒通过 (a) 在感染过程中表达辅助代谢基因，(b) 增强宿主基因的横向转移，以及 (c) 诱导宿主死亡来发挥重要的生物地球化学和生态作用。即使在恶劣和极端的环境中，病毒也是从有机物回收碳和养分的主要参与者。然而，我们对病毒及其在极端环境（例如高盐度栖息地）中介导的过程还有很多不了解。美国犹他州的大盐湖 (GSL) 是一个高盐度生态系统，对病毒的生物地球化学作用知之甚少。这项研究阐明了病毒的多样性，并描述了 GSL 沉积物中沿盐度梯度的病毒-宿主相互作用。GSL 沉积物大气圈由卤病毒 (32.07 ± 19.33%) 和家庭成员 虹吸病毒科 (39.12±19.8%), 肌病毒科 (13.7 ± 6.6%)，和 足病毒科(5.43 ± 0.64%)。我们的研究结果表明，盐度以及有机碳和无机营养素（氮和磷）的浓度控制着该栖息地的病毒、细菌和古菌多样性。GSL 病毒的计算宿主预测揭示了广泛的宿主范围，其中感染的病毒占主导地位变形菌, 放线菌， 和 厚壁菌. 光合作用辅助代谢基因的鉴定（psbA), 碳固定 (红细胞升， cbbL)、甲醛同化 (SHMT) 和一氧化氮还原 (也不Q) 阐明了 GSL 病毒在具有全球相关性的生物地球化学循环中所起的作用。