1. RNA virome abundance and diversity is associated with host age in a bird species.
- Author
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Wille M, Shi M, Hurt AC, Klaassen M, and Holmes EC
- Subjects
- Aging, Animals, Astroviridae classification, Astroviridae genetics, Astroviridae growth & development, Charadriiformes physiology, Cloaca virology, Double Stranded RNA Viruses classification, Double Stranded RNA Viruses genetics, Double Stranded RNA Viruses growth & development, Genome, Viral, Oropharynx virology, Phylogeny, Picornaviridae classification, Picornaviridae genetics, Picornaviridae growth & development, Reoviridae classification, Reoviridae genetics, Reoviridae growth & development, Transcriptome, Charadriiformes virology, RNA Viruses classification, RNA Viruses genetics, RNA Viruses growth & development, Virome
- Abstract
Despite the ongoing interest in virus discovery, little is known about the factors that shape communities of viruses within individual hosts. Here, we address how virus communities might be impacted by the age of the hosts they infect, using total RNA sequencing to reveal the RNA viromes of different age groups of Ruddy Turnstones (Arenaria interpres). From oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs we identified 14 viruses likely infecting birds, 11 of which were novel, including members of the Reoviridae, Astroviridae, and Picornaviridae. Strikingly, 12 viruses identified were from juvenile birds sampled in the first year of their life, compared to only two viruses in adult birds. Both viral abundance and alpha diversity were marginally higher in juvenile than adult birds. As well as informing studies of virus ecology, that host age might be associated with viral composition is an important consideration for the future surveillance of novel and emerging viruses., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2021
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