Detecting viral genomes in the female urinary microbiome

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Virology
• Human Microbiome

Background:

• Viruses are abundant in the human microbiota.
• Recent studies reveal diverse viruses in the female bladder, including bacteriophages and eukaryotic viruses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the viral diversity within the female bladder microbiota.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of reconstructing viral genomes from low-biomass bladder samples.

Main Methods:

• Whole-genome sequencing of the bladder microbiome from 30 women (10 healthy, 20 with overactive bladder).
• Bioinformatic analysis using the virMine tool to identify viral sequences.
• Focus on viral DNA extraction and analysis from metagenomic data.

Main Results:

• Discovery of sequence fragments and complete genomes of bacteriophages.
• Identification of the eukaryotic JC polyomavirus within the bladder metagenomes.
• Successful reconstruction of viral population genomes from low-biomass samples.

Conclusions:

• The female bladder harbors a diverse viral community.
• Whole-genome sequencing coupled with bioinformatic analysis is effective for studying low-biomass viral communities.
• This approach provides a proof of concept for viral genome reconstruction in the bladder microbiota.