This study discovered a natural water "self-purification" process via virus-pathogen interactions in China's South-to-North Water Diversion Canal. Due to phosphorus (P) limitation, viruses adapted with smaller genomes, while bacterial pathogens exhibited repressed growth. Enhanced viral lytic infections and increased ribonucleotide reductase genes led to lower health risks from waterborne pathogens downstream. This highlights the potential of virus-pathogen dynamics for water quality improvement.

Tianyi Chen, Tang Liu, Zongzhi Wu, Bingxue Wang, Qian Chen, Mi Zhang, Enhang Liang, Jinren Ni