Diversity of marine prasinoviruses at a global scale: is everything everywhere?

Did you know that planktonic viruses are the most numerous and most diversified biological entities on Earth? Camille Clerissi must have been busy working for Tara-Oceans, a 2.5-year marine and scientific expedition around the world that studies the effect of climate change on planktonic ecosystems. Clerissi focused on interactions between Mamiellophyceae, a widespread class of unicellular green algae, and their viruses using genetic molecular data. His work was interdisciplinary, combining the acquisition of new data aboard the Tara schooner and the use of advanced methods of DNA sequencing. As phytoplankters are the foundation of the ocean food chain, Clerissi's work might contribute to assessing whether global warming could contribute to their decline, which would be harmful for fish and, indirectly, for regional economies based on the fishing industry.