Marine Science Faculty Publications
Diverse Circovirus-like Genome Architectures Revealed by Environmental Metagenomics
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2009
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1099/vir.0.012955-0
Abstract
Single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) viruses with circular genomes are the smallest viruses known to infect eukaryotes. The present study identified 10 novel genomes similar to ssDNA circoviruses through data-mining of public viral metagenomes. The metagenomic libraries included samples from reclaimed water and three different marine environments (Chesapeake Bay, British Columbia coastal waters and Sargasso Sea). All the genomes have similarities to the replication (Rep) protein of circoviruses; however, only half have genomic features consistent with known circoviruses. Some of the genomes exhibit a mixture of genomic features associated with different families of ssDNA viruses (i.e. circoviruses, geminiviruses and parvoviruses). Unique genome architectures and phylogenetic analysis of the Rep protein suggest that these viruses belong to novel genera and/or families. Investigating the complex community of ssDNA viruses in the environment can lead to the discovery of divergent species and help elucidate evolutionary links between ssDNA viruses.
Was this content written or created while at USF?
Yes
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Journal of General Virology, v. 90, issue 10, p. 2418-2424
Scholar Commons Citation
Rosario, Karyna; Duffy, Siobain; and Breitbart, Mya, "Diverse Circovirus-like Genome Architectures Revealed by Environmental Metagenomics" (2009). Marine Science Faculty Publications. 756.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/msc_facpub/756
