Australian terrestrial environments harbour extensive RNA virus diversity

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Ecology
• Genomics

Background:

• Australia possesses unique native fauna and flora.
• The presence of unique viruses in Australian ecosystems remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the viral diversity in Australian ecosystems.
• To characterize novel RNA viruses in Australian farmland and sediment samples.

Main Methods:

• Meta-transcriptomic sequencing was employed on 16 samples from Australian coasts.
• Bioinformatic analyses were used to identify and classify viral sequences.

Main Results:

• 2460 putatively novel RNA viruses were identified across 18 orders.
• The majority of novel viruses belonged to the Lenarviricota phylum.
• Novel viral clades, genera, and families were discovered, alongside highly divergent lineages.

Conclusions:

• Australian soils and sediments exhibit significant viral diversity.
• This viral diversity reflects the unique biodiversity of local fauna and flora.
• Environmental factors like sampling site, soil type, and land use influence viral abundance and diversity.