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Updated: Aug 9, 2025
08:56
Combining Analysis of DNA in a Crude Virion Extraction with the Analysis of RNA from Infected Leaves to Discover New Virus Genomes
Published on: July 27, 2018
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Revealing RNA virus diversity and evolution in unicellular algae transcriptomes.
Justine Charon1, Shauna Murray2, Edward C Holmes1
1Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
Virus Evolution
|February 23, 2023
Summary
This study discovered thirty new RNA virus species in marine microbial eukaryotes, expanding our understanding of viral diversity and evolution in these organisms. Further research is needed to find highly divergent viruses.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Eukaryotic Microbiology
- Bioinformatics
Background:
- The diversity and evolution of RNA viruses in unicellular eukaryotes remain largely unexplored.
- Microbial eukaryotes, particularly microalgae, host a vast and understudied virosphere.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the diversity of RNA viruses within unicellular eukaryotes, focusing on microalgal transcriptomes.
- To identify novel and divergent RNA virus species and understand their phylogenetic relationships.
Main Methods:
- Screening of 570 transcriptomes from the Marine Microbial Eukaryote Transcriptome Sequencing Project.
- Bioinformatic analysis to identify viral sequences based on similarity to known RNA viruses.
- Phylogenetic analysis to determine the evolutionary positions of newly identified viruses.
Main Results:
- Identification of thirty new and divergent RNA virus species across various phylogenetic groups.
- Discovery of viruses related to Lenarviricota, Ghabrivirales, Marnaviridae, and Partitiviridae.
- Evidence for novel viruses, including potential negative-sense RNA viruses, extending knowledge of microalgal RNA viromes.
Conclusions:
- The study significantly expands the known diversity of RNA viruses in unicellular eukaryotes, especially microalgae.
- Many microalgal RNA viruses are highly divergent, necessitating advanced detection methods.
- Further exploration is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of eukaryotic RNA viromes and viral evolution.
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