Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #389741
Research Project: Emerging Stress Challenges and Functional Genomics of Stress Responses in Alfalfa

Location: Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory

Title: Expanding the RNA virome of nematodes and other soil-inhabiting organisms

Author
item VIEIRA, PAULO - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item SUBBOTIN, SERGEI - California Department Of Food And Agriculture
item ALKHAROUF, NADIM - Towson University
item EISENBACK, JONATHAN - Virginia Tech
item Nemchinov, Lev

Submitted to: Virus Evolution
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/10/2022
Publication Date: 3/11/2022
Citation: Vieira, P., Subbotin, S.A., Alkharouf, N., Eisenback, J.D., Nemchinov, L.G. 2022. Advancing virus discovery in nematodes and other soil-inhabiting organisms. Virus Evolution. 8(1):1–8. https://doi.org/10.1093/ve/veac019.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ve/veac019

Interpretive Summary: Soil-inhabiting nematodes are a very diversified group of eukaryotic organisms, encompassing a sophisticated and structured community. Currently, only a handful of studies are available that relate to the investigation of the nematode virome, or a total collection of viruses present in nematode bodies. Expanding this knowledge can enrich our understanding of the diversity and evolution of this complex part of natural ecosystem. We expect that this study will be of interest to a wide range of researchers in academia and government organizations.

Technical Abstract: In recent years, several newly discovered viruses infecting free-living nematodes, sedentary plant-parasitic nematodes, and migratory root lesion nematodes have been described. A variety of unclassified viruses potentially including those originating from nematodes has also been reported from different soil habitats, land and freshwater organisms. However, to the best of our knowledge, no comprehensive research focusing exclusively on metagenomic analysis of the nematode virome has thus far been carried out. In this work, we have attempted to bridge this gap by investigating viral communities that are associated with soil-inhabiting organisms, particularly nematodes. The study demonstrates a remarkable diversity of RNA viruses in natural soil environment. Over 150 viruses have been identified in different soil-inhabiting hosts, of which more than 139 are potentially new virus species. Many of these viruses belong to the nematode virome, therefore enriching our understanding of the diversity and evolution of this complex part of the natural ecosystem.