title: Diverse circular replication-associated protein encoding viruses circulating in invertebrates within a lake ecosystem.
abstract: Over the last five years next-generation sequencing has become a cost effective and efficient method for identifying known and unknown microorganisms. Access to this technique has dramatically changed the field of virology, enabling a wide range of environmental viral metagenome studies to be undertaken of organisms and environmental samples from polar to tropical regions. These studies have led to the discovery of hundreds of highly divergent single stranded DNA (ssDNA) virus-like sequences encoding replication-associated proteins. Yet, few studies have explored how viruses might be shared in an ecosystem through feeding relationships. Here we identify 169 circular molecules (160 CRESS DNA molecules, nine circular molecules) recovered from a New Zealand freshwater lake, that we have tentatively classified into 51 putatively novel species and five previously described species (DflaCV-3, -5, -6, -8, -10). The CRESS DNA viruses identified in this study were recovered from molluscs (Echyridella menzeisii, Musculium novaezelandiae, Potamopyrgus antipodarum and Physella acuta) and insect larvae (Procordulia grayi, Xanthocnemis zealandica, and Chironomus zealandicus) collected from Lake Sarah, as well as from the lake water and benthic sediments. Extensive diversity was observed across most CRESS DNA molecules recovered. The putative capsid protein of one viral species was found to be most similar to those of members of the Tombusviridae family, thus expanding the number of known RNA-DNA hybrid viruses in nature. We noted a strong association between the CRESS DNA viruses and circular molecules identified in the water and browser organisms (C. zealandicus, P. antipodarum and P. acuta), and between water sediments and undefended prey species (C. zealandicus). However, we were unable to find any significant correlation of viral assemblages to the potential feeding relationships of the host aquatic invertebrates.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Anisha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dayaram
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand; Department of Biology, Centre College, Danville, KY 40422, USA.
authors.forename: Mark L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Galatowitsch
authors.affiliation: División de Biología Molecular, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, Camino a la Presa San José 2055, 78216 San Luis Potosí, S.L.P., Mexico.
authors.forename: Gerardo R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Argüello-Astorga
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: van Bysterveldt
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kraberger
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Daisy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stainton
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Jon S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Harding
authors.affiliation: Computational Biology Group, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roumagnac
authors.affiliation: CIRAD-INRA-SupAgro, UMR BGPI, Campus International de Montferrier-Baillarguet, 34398 Montpellier Cedex-5, France.
authors.forename: Darren P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: CIRAD, UMR PVBMT, Pôle de Protection des Plantes, 7 chemin de l'IRAT, Saint-Pierre, Ile de la Réunion 97410, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lefeuvre
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand; Biomolecular Interaction Centre, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand; Structural Biology Research Unit, Division of Medical Biochemistry, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7700, South Africa; Department of Plant Pathology and Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA. Electronic address: arvind.varsani@canterbury.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Arvind
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varsani
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000818:Animals; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D004267:DNA Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D004270:DNA, Circular; D004279:DNA, Viral; D017753:Ecosystem; D016679:Genome, Viral; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000821:virology*; D060106:Lakes / Q000382:microbiology*; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D010802:Phylogeny; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D004270:DNA, Circular; D004279:DNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins
keywords: CRESS DNA viruses; Chironomus zealandicus; Echyridella menzeisi; Freshwater invertebrates; Musculium novazelandiae; Physella acuta; Potamopyrgus antipodarum; Procordulia grayi; Replication-associated protein; Xanthocnemis zealandica