Next-Generation Sequencing on Insectivorous Bat Guano: An Accurate Tool to Identify Arthropod Viruses of Potential Agricultural Concern.

Mathieu Bourgarel,Serge Morand,Vanina Boué,Frédérique Cerqueira,Davies Pfukenyi,Loïc Talignani,Florian Liégeois,Valérie Noël,Pierre Becquart,Dorothée Missé,Johan Michaux,Célia Barrachina,Adrien André,Gift Matope

doi:10.3390/v11121102

Abstract

Viruses belonging to the Dicistroviridae family have attracted a great deal of attention from scientists owing to their negative impact on agricultural economics, as well as their recent identification as potential aetiological agents of febrile illness in human patients. On the other hand, some Dicistroviruses are also studied for their potential biopesticide properties. To date, Dicistrovirus characterized in African mainland remain scarce. By using High-Throughput Sequencing technology on insectivorous bat faeces (Hipposideros Caffer) sampled in a cave used by humans to collect bat guano (bat manure) as fertilizer in Zimbabwe, we characterized the full-length sequences of three Dicistrovirus belonging to the Cripavirus and Aparavirus genus: Big Sioux River Virus-Like (BSRV-Like), Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (ABPV), and Aphid Lethal Paralysis Virus (ALPV). Phylogenetic analyses of ORF-1 and ORF-2 genes showed a complex evolutionary history between BSRV and close viruses, as well as for the Aparavirus genus. Herewith, we provide the first evidence of the presence of Dicistrovirus in Zimbabwe and highlight the need to further document the impact of such viruses on crops, as well as in beekeeping activities in Zimbabwe which represent a crucial source of income for Zimbabwean people.

Highlights

Dicistroviridae is a family of non-enveloped viruses with a linear ssRNA genome of approximately7–10 kb
By using high-throughput sequencing technologies (HTS) technologies on a pool of insectivore bat faeces collected in a cave known to be regularly used by humans, we provide the first evidence of the Big Sioux River Virus-like (BSRV-like), Aphid Lethal Paralysis Virus (ALPV), and Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (ABPV) circulation in Zimbabwe
We described the full-length sequences of two Cripavirus (BSRV-like and ALPV) and one Aparavirus (ABPV) obtained from the faeces of insectivorous bat species (Hipposideros caffer) collected in a cave dwelling in Zimbabwe

Summary

Introduction

Dicistroviridae is a family of non-enveloped viruses with a linear ssRNA genome of approximately7–10 kb. Dicistroviridae is a family of non-enveloped viruses with a linear ssRNA genome of approximately. The Dicistrovirus RNA genome contains two non-overlapping open reading frames (ORFs) separated by an Inter-Genic Region (IGR) internal ribosome entry site (IRES) [1]. 50 cap, Dicistroviral RNA is translated by means of an IRES. The ORF-1 encodes for the non-structural proteins, whereas the ORF-2 encodes for structural proteins. Replication occurs in the cytoplasm of an infected cell. According to the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV), the Discistrovirus comprises three different genera: the Triatovirus, Aparavirus, and Cripavirus [2]

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Conclusion