title: Circular replication-associated protein encoding DNA viruses identified in the faecal matter of various animals in New Zealand.
abstract: In recent years, innovations in molecular techniques and sequencing technologies have resulted in a rapid expansion in the number of known viral sequences, in particular those with circular replication-associated protein (Rep)-encoding single-stranded (CRESS) DNA genomes. CRESS DNA viruses are present in the virome of many ecosystems and are known to infect a wide range of organisms. A large number of the recently identified CRESS DNA viruses cannot be classified into any known viral families, indicating that the current view of CRESS DNA viral sequence space is greatly underestimated. Animal faecal matter has proven to be a particularly useful source for sampling CRESS DNA viruses in an ecosystem, as it is cost-effective and non-invasive. In this study a viral metagenomic approach was used to explore the diversity of CRESS DNA viruses present in the faeces of domesticated and wild animals in New Zealand. Thirty-eight complete CRESS DNA viral genomes and two circular molecules (that may be defective molecules or single components of multicomponent genomes) were identified from forty-nine individual animal faecal samples. Based on shared genome organisations and sequence similarities, eighteen of the isolates were classified as gemycircularviruses and twelve isolates were classified as smacoviruses. The remaining eight isolates lack significant sequence similarity with any members of known CRESS DNA virus groups. This research adds significantly to our knowledge of CRESS DNA viral diversity in New Zealand, emphasising the prevalence of CRESS DNA viruses in nature, and reinforcing the suggestion that a large proportion of CRESS DNA viruses are yet to be identified.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Olivia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Steel
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kraberger
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Alyssa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sikorski
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Ryan J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Catchpole
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Aaron J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Jenny J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ladley
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Dorien S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Coray
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Daisy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stainton
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Anisha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dayaram
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Laurel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Julian
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: van Bysterveldt
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand; Structural Biology Research Unit, Division of Medical Biochemistry, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory 7700, South Africa; Department of Plant Pathology and Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA. Electronic address: arvind.varsani@canterbury.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Arvind
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varsani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002161:Camelids, New World / Q000821:virology; D002417:Cattle; D002645:Chickens / Q000821:virology; D004267:DNA Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004270:DNA, Circular / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D003670:Deer / Q000821:virology; D004285:Dogs; D004372:Ducks / Q000821:virology; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016679:Genome, Viral; D034621:Hares / Q000821:virology; D006736:Horses / Q000821:virology; D056186:Metagenomics; D009520:New Zealand; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D010802:Phylogeny; D012756:Sheep / Q000821:virology; D013552:Swine / Q000821:virology; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004270:DNA, Circular; D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: Faeces; Gemycircularvirus; New Zealand; Smacovirus; ssDNA virus