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Decoding the RNA viromes in shrew lungs along the eastern coast of China.

Jing-Tao ZhangZhen-Yu HuFang TangYan-Tao LiuWei-Long TanXiao-Fang MaYun-Fa ZhangGuang-Qian SiLei ZhangMei-Qi ZhangCong PengBo-Kang FuLi-Qun FangXiao-Ai ZhangWei Liu
Published in: NPJ biofilms and microbiomes (2024)
Shrews being insectivores, serve as natural reservoirs for a wide array of zoonotic viruses, including the recently discovered Langya henipavirus (LayV) in China in 2018. It is crucial to understand the shrew-associated virome, viral diversity, and new viruses. In the current study, we conducted high-throughput sequencing on lung samples obtained from 398 shrews captured along the eastern coast of China, and characterized the high-depth virome of 6 common shrew species (Anourosorex squamipes, Crocidura lasiura, Crocidura shantungensis, Crocidura tanakae, Sorex caecutiens, and Suncus murinus). Our analysis revealed numerous shrew-associated viruses comprising 54 known viruses and 72 new viruses that significantly enhance our understanding of mammalian viruses. Notably, 34 identified viruses possess spillover-risk potential and six were human pathogenic viruses: LayV, influenza A virus (H5N6), rotavirus A, rabies virus, avian paramyxovirus 1, and rat hepatitis E virus. Moreover, ten previously unreported viruses in China were discovered, six among them have spillover-risk potential. Additionally, all 54 known viruses and 12 new viruses had the ability to cross species boundaries. Our data underscore the diversity of shrew-associated viruses and provide a foundation for further studies into tracing and predicting emerging infectious diseases originated from shrews.
Keyphrases
  • genetic diversity
  • endothelial cells
  • risk assessment
  • machine learning
  • oxidative stress
  • mass spectrometry
  • human health
  • deep learning
  • data analysis
  • high density