Metatranscriptomic Comparison of Viromes in Endemic and Introduced Passerines in New Zealand
New Zealand/Aotearoa has many endemic passerine birds vulnerable to emerging infectious diseases. Yet little is known about viruses in passerines, and in some countries, including New Zealand, the virome of wild passerines has been only scarcely researched. Using metatranscriptomic sequencing we cha...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/7/1364 |
| _version_ | 1797433031337705472 |
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| author | Rebecca K. French Antoine Filion Chris N. Niebuhr Edward C. Holmes |
| author_facet | Rebecca K. French Antoine Filion Chris N. Niebuhr Edward C. Holmes |
| author_sort | Rebecca K. French |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | New Zealand/Aotearoa has many endemic passerine birds vulnerable to emerging infectious diseases. Yet little is known about viruses in passerines, and in some countries, including New Zealand, the virome of wild passerines has been only scarcely researched. Using metatranscriptomic sequencing we characterised the virome of New Zealand endemic and introduced species of passerine. Accordingly, we identified 34 possible avian viruses from cloacal swabs of 12 endemic and introduced bird species not showing signs of disease. These included a novel siadenovirus, iltovirus, and avastrovirus in the Eurasian blackbird (<i>Turdus merula,</i> an introduced species), song thrush (<i>Turdus philomelos,</i> introduced) and silvereye/tauhou (<i>Zosterops lateralis</i>, introduced), respectively. This is the first time novel viruses from these genera have been identified in New Zealand, likely reflecting prior undersampling. It also represents the first identification of an iltovirus and siadenovirus in blackbirds and thrushes globally. These three viruses were only found in introduced species and may pose a risk to endemic species if they were to jump species boundaries, particularly the iltoviruses and siadenoviruses that have a prior history of disease associations. Further virus study and surveillance are needed in New Zealand avifauna, particularly in <i>Turdus</i> populations and endemic species. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:10:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3b6c9777c08746f984ac760ac2083451 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:10:15Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-3b6c9777c08746f984ac760ac20834512023-12-01T22:46:49ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152022-06-01147136410.3390/v14071364Metatranscriptomic Comparison of Viromes in Endemic and Introduced Passerines in New ZealandRebecca K. French0Antoine Filion1Chris N. Niebuhr2Edward C. Holmes3Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, AustraliaDepartment of Zoology, University of Otago, 340 Great King St., Dunedin 9016, New ZealandManaaki Whenua–Landcare Research, P.O. Box 69040, Lincoln 7640, New ZealandSydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, AustraliaNew Zealand/Aotearoa has many endemic passerine birds vulnerable to emerging infectious diseases. Yet little is known about viruses in passerines, and in some countries, including New Zealand, the virome of wild passerines has been only scarcely researched. Using metatranscriptomic sequencing we characterised the virome of New Zealand endemic and introduced species of passerine. Accordingly, we identified 34 possible avian viruses from cloacal swabs of 12 endemic and introduced bird species not showing signs of disease. These included a novel siadenovirus, iltovirus, and avastrovirus in the Eurasian blackbird (<i>Turdus merula,</i> an introduced species), song thrush (<i>Turdus philomelos,</i> introduced) and silvereye/tauhou (<i>Zosterops lateralis</i>, introduced), respectively. This is the first time novel viruses from these genera have been identified in New Zealand, likely reflecting prior undersampling. It also represents the first identification of an iltovirus and siadenovirus in blackbirds and thrushes globally. These three viruses were only found in introduced species and may pose a risk to endemic species if they were to jump species boundaries, particularly the iltoviruses and siadenoviruses that have a prior history of disease associations. Further virus study and surveillance are needed in New Zealand avifauna, particularly in <i>Turdus</i> populations and endemic species.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/7/1364metagenomicsPasseriformessiadenovirusiltovirusavastrovirus |
| spellingShingle | Rebecca K. French Antoine Filion Chris N. Niebuhr Edward C. Holmes Metatranscriptomic Comparison of Viromes in Endemic and Introduced Passerines in New Zealand Viruses metagenomics Passeriformes siadenovirus iltovirus avastrovirus |
| title | Metatranscriptomic Comparison of Viromes in Endemic and Introduced Passerines in New Zealand |
| title_full | Metatranscriptomic Comparison of Viromes in Endemic and Introduced Passerines in New Zealand |
| title_fullStr | Metatranscriptomic Comparison of Viromes in Endemic and Introduced Passerines in New Zealand |
| title_full_unstemmed | Metatranscriptomic Comparison of Viromes in Endemic and Introduced Passerines in New Zealand |
| title_short | Metatranscriptomic Comparison of Viromes in Endemic and Introduced Passerines in New Zealand |
| title_sort | metatranscriptomic comparison of viromes in endemic and introduced passerines in new zealand |
| topic | metagenomics Passeriformes siadenovirus iltovirus avastrovirus |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/7/1364 |
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