{"database":"GEO","file_versions":[{"headers":{"Content-Type":["application/json"]},"body":{"files":{"Other":["ftp://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/series/GSE313nnn/GSE313816/"]},"type":"primary"},"statusCode":"OK","statusCodeValue":200}],"scores":null,"additional":{"omics_type":["Transcriptomics"],"species":["Python regius"],"gds_type":["Expression profiling by high throughput sequencing"],"full_dataset_link":["https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE313816"],"repository":["GEO"],"entry_type":["GSE"],"additional_accession":[]},"is_claimable":false,"name":"Modeling reptile virus infection in vitro using Python regius airway organoids","description":"Zoonoses pose substantial global health risks, highlighting the need to better understand animal-to-human transmission. Reptiles are increasingly recognized as hosts of diverse pathogens, including many viruses. Despite this, reptile pathogens remain poorly understood in terms of their diversity, prevalence, and potential risk to humans. Yet human–reptile contact is increasing, driven in part by the global wildlife trade and pet industry. This underscores the need to better understand reptile-associated pathogens; however, models to study reptile viruses remain scarce. Here, we establish and characterize airway organoids derived from Python regius, providing an in vitro model of the reptile airway. Through de novo assembly of a Python regius reference genome, we characterized airway organoids at single-cell resolution, revealing diverse cell populations including ionocytes, ciliated, goblet, club, endocrine, tuft, and basal cells. The organoids supported productive infection with ball python nidovirus (BPNV) and mounted a robust epithelial antiviral response through induction of interferon-stimulated genes, cytokines and genes involved in chemical defense. As a proof-of-concept, antiviral drug treatment reduced BPNV levels, highlighting the model's utility for drug testing. By providing a reductionist system of the serpentine airway, these organoids constitute a physiologically relevant in vitro model to study reptile viruses and host–pathogen interactions in the native host. This system has potential veterinary applications, ecology of serpentes, and zoonotic disease research.","dates":{"publication":"2026/06/17"},"accession":"GSE313816","cross_references":{"GSM":["GSM9376027","GSM9376026","GSM9376025","GSM9376029","GSM9376028"],"GPL":["36423"],"GSE":["313816"],"taxon":["Python regius"]}}