Single Stranded DNA Viruses Associated with Capybara Faeces Sampled in Brazil

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Wildlife Health
• Genomics

Background:

• Capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), the world's largest rodents, inhabit diverse South American environments.
• Limited data exists on the virome of capybara populations.
• Understanding capybara viruses is crucial for wildlife health and disease surveillance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and characterize the viral diversity in capybara fecal samples.
• To expand the knowledge of viruses associated with capybaras in Brazil.
• To identify novel viral species and families within the capybara host.

Main Methods:

• Viral metagenomics sequencing of capybara fecal DNA.
• Bioinformatic analysis for viral genome assembly and identification.
• Taxonomic classification of identified viral sequences.

Main Results:

• Discovery of 148 complete genomes of Microviridae family viruses.
• Identification of 14 Genomoviridae, 1 novel Circoviridae (cyclovirus), and 1 Smacoviridae (smacovirus).
• Detection of 37 unclassified circular replication associated protein encoding single-stranded (CRESS) DNA viruses.

Conclusions:

• Capybara feces harbor a diverse range of single-stranded DNA viruses.
• This research provides a foundational understanding of the capybara virome.
• The identified viruses may impact capybara health, microbiota, or reflect dietary components.