Biology

An AOA-Dominant Microbiome in a Novel Deep-Sea Glass Sponge Species from the South China Sea: Symbiotic Diversity, Adaptation, and Network Interactions

M. Maldonado, L. Pita, et al.

This groundbreaking study reveals a new deep-sea glass sponge species, *Bathydorus* sp. SQW35, from the South China Sea, showcasing its unique AOA-dominant microbiome. Researchers extracted fourteen microbial metagenome-assembled genomes, including a newly identified *Nitrososphaerota* species, and propose a new conceptual framework involving phages that may play a role in sponge holobiont dynamics. This research was conducted by Manuel Maldonado, Lucia Pita, Rodrigo Costa, Laura Steindler, Zhao-Ming Gao, and Yong Wang.