Unravelling codon usage patterns in the coding sequences of Bat RNA virus genomes of Rhabdoviridae family

Abstract

Bats have a wide range of viral species in their bodies. RNA viruses of the Rhabdoviridae family have been found in arthropods, which might act as biological vectors for disease transmission to other plants or animals. The choice of one synonymous codon over another for the same amino acid is referred to as codon usage bias (CUB). It is primarily influenced by the forces of evolution, protein characteristics, compositional properties, and gene expression. In this study, we analyzed the composition of CUB and its distribution among 15 different Rhabdoviridae viral genomes found in bats. The genomes of all 15 viruses were found to be AT-rich and weak CUB. The pattern of codon utilization was investigated using parameters such as neutrality plot, parity plot, translational selection, nucleotide skewness, and relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) values. Natural selection and mutational pressure both influenced the CUB of the 15 Rhabdoviridae viruses. RSCU analysis identified overrepresented and underrepresented codons. The neutrality plot study revealed that natural selection dominated in shaping the CUB. The results of our study revealed the pattern of codon usage in Rhabdoviridae genomes and set the groundwork for important evolutionary research on them.