Uncovering the hidden RNA virus diversity in Lake Nam Co: Evolutionary insights from an extreme high-altitude environment.

ABSTRACT: Alpine lakes, characterized by isolation, low temperatures, oligotrophic conditions, and intense ultraviolet radiation, remain a poorly explored ecosystem for RNA viruses. Here, we present the first comprehensive metatranscriptomic study of RNA viruses in Lake Nam Co, a high-altitude alkaline saline lake on the Tibetan Plateau. Using a combination of sequence- and structure-based homology searches, we identified 742 RNA virus species, including 383 novel genus-level groups and 84 novel family-level groups exclusively found in Lake Nam Co. These findings significantly expand the known diversity of the Orthornavirae, uncovering evolutionary adaptations such as permutated RNA-dependent RNA polymerase motifs and distinct RNA secondary structures. Notably, 14 additional RNA virus familie

SUBMITTER: Wu L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11831205 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature