Plastisphere-hosted viruses: A review of interactions, behavior, and effects.

Microbial communities, including bacteria, diatoms, and fungi, colonize plastic surfaces, forming biofilms known as the "plastisphere." Recent research has revealed that plastispheres also host a wide range of viruses, sparking interest in microbial ecology and virology. This shared habitat allows viruses to replicate, interact, infect, and spread, potentially impacting the environment and human health. Consequently, viruses attached to microplastics are now recognized to have broad effects on cellular and immune responses. However, the ecology and implications of viruses hosted in plastisphere habitats remain poorly understood, highlighting their fundamental importance as a subject of study. This review explores various pathways for virus attachment to plastispheres, factors influencing these interactions, their impacts within plastisphere and host-associated environments, and associated issues. It also summarizes current research and identifies knowledge gaps. We anticipate that this paper will help improve our predictive understanding of plastisphere viruses in natural settings and emphasizes the need for more research in real-world environments to advance the field. [Display omitted] • Viruses are an important but understudied component of the (micro)plastisphere (MP). • The article discusses the ecology and interactions between the MP and virosphere. • The MP niche determines viral stability, propagation, and emergence. • Microplastics can have both beneficial and detrimental impacts on viruses, making them a double-edged sword. • MP hosted viruses can impact both the environment and human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]