Circular replication-associated protein-encoding single-stranded DNA virus with risk of spillover is widely prevalent in domestic animals in China

Abstract

Circular replication-associated protein (Rep)-encoding single-stranded (CRESS) DNA viruses are highly diverse and have a broad range of hosts. In this study, we report the detection of Bo-Circo-like virus AH20-1 in the feces of diarrheal cattle. The virus has a circular genome of 3,912 nucleotides, three major putative open reading frames, and encodes a Rep gene of 310 amino acids. We found that the virus is closely related to the Bo-Circo-like virus CH strain, which belongs to the novel Kirkoviridae family. Furthermore, we conducted a nationwide surveillance program and found that the virus is prevalent in China (23.6%, 205/868), with the BCLa subtype being the predominant strain. Our findings suggest that the virus can infect sheep, highlighting the potential for cross-species transmission. Our pressure analysis indicates that the CRESS-DNA Kirkoviridae family has broad host adaptation, and that selection pressure played an important role in the evolution of its Rep genes. Our study underscores the need for continued epidemiological surveillance of this virus due to its widespread prevalence in our ruminant population and potential for cross-species transmission.