REVISITING: Genomic Analysis of Uncultured Marine Viral Communities

This publon aims to historically situate the 2002 paradigm-shifting paper, "Genomic Analysis of Uncultured Marine Viral Communities," authored by Breitbart, Rohwer, et al., and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The original research is described, followed by an assessment of the paradigm shift engendered by transitioning from biased to unbiased environmental DNA sequencing in viral ecology. The generational intellectual impact of the work is considered, including its role in spurring novel exploration into the vast, uncharted depths of the global virosphere, now recognized as the largest reservoir of biodiversity on the planet.