Discovery of three RNA viruses using ant transcriptomic datasets

AbstractThree novel RNA viruses, named Formica fusca virus 1 (GenBank accession no. MH477287), Lasius neglectus virus 2 (MH477288) and Myrmica scabrinodis virus 2 (MH477289), were discovered in ants collected in Cambridge, UK. The proposed virus names were given based on the hosts in which they were identified. The genome sequences were obtained usingde novo transcriptome assembly of high-throughput RNA sequencing reads and confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Formica fusca virus 1 grouped within the familyNyamiviridae, Lasius neglectus virus 2 grouped within the familyRhabdoviridae and Myrmica scabrinodis virus 2 belongs to the familyDicistroviridae. All three viruses are highly divergent from previously sequenced viruses.

Source: Archives of Virology - February 1, 2019 Category: Virology Source Type: research