A new virus discovered in the Pacific Ocean may be the deepest ever found on Earth.
It would belong to the family of bacteriophages, infections that attack bacteria. These viruses, among the most abundant life forms on the planet, play an important role in the marine ecosystem by helping regulate populations while releasing nutrients.
The new virus was discovered at a depth of 8,900 meters in the Mariana Trench, the deepest spot ever found, approaching the deepest point in the Pacific Ocean, which is at 11,000 meters.
Min Wang, a marine virologist from Ocean University in China, said it was “the deepest bacteriophage ever found in an ocean.”
The virus, named vB_HmeY_H4907, cannot infect humans.
Even though its existence has only just been revealed, experts already believe that it is very present in the ocean.
Dr. Wang says this discovery could help us understand how viruses survive in inhospitable environments.
“Extreme environments are perfect for virus detection,” she says.
The discovery was published in the journal Microbiology Spectrum.
According to information from Sky News