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Unique circovirus-like genome detected in pig feces

Andrew K Cheung1, Terry Fei-Fan Ng, Kelly M Lager

  • 1Virus and Prion Diseases Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Ames, Iowa, USA.

Genome Announcements
|April 12, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Researchers discovered a new circular DNA virus, porcine stool-associated virus (PoSCV4), in pig feces. This novel virus is evolutionarily linked to a similar virus found in fur seals.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Genomics
  • Animal Health

Background:

  • Circular DNA viruses represent a diverse group of pathogens with significant implications for animal health.
  • Understanding the virome of livestock, such as pigs, is crucial for disease prevention and control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and characterize novel viral agents present in pig feces.
  • To determine the genomic and phylogenetic characteristics of newly discovered porcine viruses.

Main Methods:

  • Metagenomic sequencing was employed to analyze the viral DNA in fecal samples.
  • Molecular cloning and sequencing techniques were used to isolate and determine the complete genome of the novel virus.
  • Phylogenetic analysis was performed on the deduced replication initiator protein.

Main Results:

  • A novel circular DNA virus, designated porcine stool-associated virus (PoSCV4), was identified and fully sequenced.
  • Phylogenetic analysis revealed that PoSCV4 shares a common ancestry with a circular DNA virus previously identified in fur seal feces.

Conclusions:

  • The discovery of PoSCV4 expands our knowledge of the porcine virome.
  • The evolutionary relationship between PoSCV4 and a fur seal virus suggests potential cross-species transmission or a shared evolutionary origin for fecal-associated circular DNA viruses.

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