Experimental viral spillover across 25 million year gap in Rodentia reveals limited viral transmission and purifying selection of a picornavirus.

ABSTRACT: When a virus crosses from one host species to another, the consequences can be devastating. However, animal models to empirically evaluate cross-species transmission can fail to recapitulate natural transmission routes, physiologically relevant doses of pathogens, and population structures of naturally circulating viruses. Here, we present a new model of cross-species transmission where deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) are exposed to the natural virome of pet store mice (Mus musculus). Using RNA sequencing, we tracked viral transmission via fecal-oral routes and found the evidence of transmission of murine astroviruses, coronaviruses, and picornaviruses. Deep sequencing of murine kobuvirus revealed tight bottlenecks during transmission and purifying selection that leaves li

SUBMITTER: Shepherd FK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11481857 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature