Fig. 4: Profiles of horizontal transfer of As-oxidizing genes mediated by viruses in the rhizosphere.

a The phylogenetic origin of As-oxidizing genes from virus to host by HGTs. Phenotypic correlations of As-oxidizing genes are noted with colors and statistical support was assessed using standard bootstraps (SBS) (n = 1000). b Enrichment ratio of As-oxidizing genes by virus-mediated HGTs in the rhizosphere compared to bulk soil. The enrichment ratio was determined using the formula: Enrichment ratio_{read depths}\(=\frac{{{Read\; depths}}_{R}}{{{Read\; depths}}_{B}}\). The solid regression line shown is a Loess estimate (n = 50). The shaded interval represents the 95% confidence interval, presenting the variability of the fit over time. Statistical significance between the rhizosphere and the bulk soil was determined using the two-sided Welch’s t-test (n = 44). c Enrichment ratio_copies of recipient microbes in the rhizosphere compared to bulk soil. The solid regression line shown is a Loess estimate (n = 50). The shaded interval represents the 95% confidence interval, presenting the variability of the fit over time. Statistical significance between the rhizosphere and the bulk soil was determined using the two-sided Welch’s t-test (n = 50). d Impact of virus-mediated HGT on the enrichment ratio of recipient microbe. The violin plot shows the enrichment ratio of recipient microbe in the pre-HGT and post-HGT periods, with the mean indicated by the solid point and the standard deviation represented by vertical line extending from the solid point. Statistical significance of Enrichment ratio_copies of recipient microbes between pre-HGT and post-HGT was determined using the two-sided Student’s t-test. Sample sizes for each microbe were as follows: Koribacter (pre-HGT n = 15, post-HGT n = 35), Kaistella_34dR (pre-HGT n = 17, post-HGT n = 33), Limnoglobus (pre-HGT n = 11, post-HGT n = 39), Kaistella_44dR (pre-HGT n = 22, post-HGT n = 28), Bacillus (pre-HGT n = 21, post-HGT n = 29), and Acidobacterium (pre-HGT n = 24, post-HGT n = 26). In the presented genomic map, genes colored in green represent the host’s inherent genes, while genes marked in other colors indicate the location of As-oxidizing gene introduced via virus-mediated HGT.