Discovery and Characterization of Novel RNA Viruses in Aquatic North American Wild Birds.

Marta Canuti,Ashley N K Kroyer,Andrew S Lang,Hugh G Whitney,Davor Ojkic,Gregory J Robertson

doi:10.3390/v11090768

Marta Canuti, Ashley N K Kroyer + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/v11090768

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Abstract

Wild birds are recognized viral reservoirs but our understanding about avian viral diversity is limited. We describe here three novel RNA viruses that we identified in oropharyngeal/cloacal swabs collected from wild birds. The complete genome of a novel gull metapneumovirus (GuMPV B29) was determined. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that this virus could represent a novel avian metapneumovirus (AMPV) sub-group, intermediate between AMPV-C and the subgroup of the other AMPVs. This virus was detected in an American herring (1/24, 4.2%) and great black-backed (4/26, 15.4%) gulls. A novel gull coronavirus (GuCoV B29) was detected in great black-backed (3/26, 11.5%) and American herring (2/24, 8.3%) gulls. Phylogenetic analyses of GuCoV B29 suggested that this virus could represent a novel species within the genus Gammacoronavirus, close to other recently identified potential novel avian coronaviral species. One GuMPV–GuCoV co-infection was detected. A novel duck calicivirus (DuCV-2 B6) was identified in mallards (2/5, 40%) and American black ducks (7/26, 26.9%). This virus, of which we identified two different types, was fully sequenced and was genetically closest to other caliciviruses identified in Anatidae, but more distant to other caliciviruses from birds in the genus Anas. These discoveries increase our knowledge about avian virus diversity and host distributions.

Highlights

Among vertebrates, the class Aves is one of the most ubiquitous lineages on Earth and, with over 10,000 living species, is one of the most diverse [1]
Birds play an important role in the dispersal of microbes and, influence microbial dynamics, impacting the ecology and evolution of various viruses and bacteria [3,4,5]
We fully sequenced a novel duck calicivirus and a novel gull metapneumovirus and obtained extended sequence information of a potentially novel gull coronavirus we discovered previously in wild birds with the ViDiT-CACTUS method [13]

Summary

Introduction

The class Aves (birds) is one of the most ubiquitous lineages on Earth and, with over 10,000 living species, is one of the most diverse [1]. From natural to urban environments, and serve diverse ecological roles in various ecosystems [2] They have a global distribution and, thanks to their ability to fly long distances, are capable of migrating across biological and geographical borders and over broad spatial scales [1,3]. Because of these characteristics, birds play an important role in the dispersal of microbes and, influence microbial dynamics, impacting the ecology and evolution of various viruses and bacteria [3,4,5]. RNA viral diversity can be high in the avian

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