Cyanophage Distribution Across European Lakes of the Temperate-Humid Continental Climate Zone Assessed Using PCR-Based Genetic Markers

Studies of the diversity and distribution of freshwater cyanophages are generally limited to the small geographical areas, in many cases including only one or few lakes. Data from dozens of various lakes distributed at a larger distance are necessary to understand their spatial distribution and sensitivity to biotic and abiotic factors. Thus, the objective of this study was to analyze the diversity and distribution of cyanophages within the infected cells using marker genes (psbA, nblA, and g91) in 21 Polish and Lithuanian lakes. Physicochemical factors that might be related to them were also analyzed. The results demonstrated that genetic markers representing cyanophages were observed in most lakes studied. The frequently detected gene was psbA with 88% of cyanophage-positive samples, while nblA and g91 were found in approximately 50% of lakes. The DNA sequence analyses for each gene demonstrated low variability between them, although the psbA sequences branched within the larger cluster of marine Synechoccocuss counterparts. The principal component analysis allowed to identify significant variation between the lakes that presented high and low cyanobacterial biomass. The lakes with high cyanobacterial biomass were further separated by country and the different diversity of cyanobacteria species, particularly Planktothrix agardhii, was dominant in the Polish lakes and Planktolyngbya limnetica in the Lithuanian lakes. The total phosphorous and the presence of cyanophage genes psbA and nblA were the most important factors that allowed differentiation for the Polish lakes, while the pH and the genes g91 and nblA for the Lithuanian lakes.