Discovery of three RNA viruses using ant transcriptomic datasets

Arch Virol. 2019 Feb;164(2):643-647. doi: 10.1007/s00705-018-4093-2. Epub 2018 Nov 10.

Abstract

Three 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 using de 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 family Nyamiviridae, Lasius neglectus virus 2 grouped within the family Rhabdoviridae and Myrmica scabrinodis virus 2 belongs to the family Dicistroviridae. All three viruses are highly divergent from previously sequenced viruses.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Ants / virology*
  • Genome, Viral
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
  • Insect Viruses / classification
  • Insect Viruses / genetics
  • Insect Viruses / isolation & purification*
  • Open Reading Frames
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA Viruses / classification
  • RNA Viruses / genetics*
  • RNA Viruses / isolation & purification*
  • Transcriptome
  • Viral Proteins / genetics

Substances

  • Viral Proteins