Advances in studies on biodiversity of cyanophages

Cyanophages are viruses that infect prokaryotic blue-green algae(cyanobacteria) and widespread in different types of aquatic ecosystems. They can have a significant impact on regulation of primary productivity rate, density and succession of cyanobacteria, genetic transfer between microorganism, and global biogeochemical cycles, respectively. Thereby paying special attention to biodiversity of cyanophages, discovering cyanophage genes involved in the infection, clarifying the interaction between cyanophage and host, can also provide important information for developing novel approaches to control of cyanobacterial blooms and understanding the role of viruses play in complex water environments. This review focuses on recent advances in researches of the cyanophage biodiversity, including the ecosystem diversity, species diversity and genetic diversity of cyanophage.