Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu Universitygrid.440785.a, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China.
Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China.
Microbiol Spectr. 2022 Feb 23;10(1):e0187221. doi: 10.1128/spectrum.01872-21.
The gut virome is a reservoir of diverse symbiotic and pathogenic viruses coevolving with their hosts, and yet limited research has explored the gut viromes of highland-dwelling rare species. Using viral metagenomic analysis, the viral communities of the Phrynocephalus lizards living in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were investigated. Phage-encoded functional genes and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were analyzed. The viral communities of different lizard species were all predominated by bacteriophages, especially the order. The virome of Phrynocephalus erythrurus living around the Namtso Lake possessed a unique structure, with the greatest abundance of the family and the highest number of exclusive viral species. Several vertebrate-infecting viruses were discovered, including caliciviruses, astroviruses, and parvoviruses. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that the virus hallmark genes of bacteriophages possessed high genetic diversity. After functional annotation, the majority of phage-associated functional genes were classified in the energy metabolism category. In addition, plenty of ARGs belonging to the multidrug category were discovered, and five ARGs were exclusive to the virome from Phrynocephalus theobaldi. This study provided the first insight into the structure and function of the virome in highland lizards, contributing to the protection of threatened lizard species. Also, our research is of exemplary significance for the gut virome research of lizard species and other cold-blooded and highland-dwelling animals, prompting a better understanding of the interspecific differences and transmission of commensal viruses. The lizards inhabiting the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) are considered to be the highest-altitude lizard species in the world, and they have been added to the IUCN list of threatened species. Living in the QTP with hypoxic, arid, natural conditions, the lizards presented a unique pattern of gut virome, which could provide both positive and negative effects, such as the enrichment of functional genes and the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). This work provides the foundation for further research on the gut virome in these endangered lizard species and other cold-blooded and highland-dwelling animals, contributing to the maintenance of ecological balance on the plateau.
肠道病毒组是与宿主共同进化的多种共生和致病病毒的储存库，但对高海拔地区稀有物种的肠道病毒组的研究还很有限。本研究采用病毒宏基因组分析方法，研究了生活在青藏高原的青海沙蜥肠道病毒群落。分析了噬菌体编码的功能基因和抗生素抗性基因（ARGs）。不同蜥蜴物种的病毒群落均以噬菌体为主，尤其是目。纳木错湖周围的变色沙蜥肠道病毒组具有独特的结构，丰度最高的是科，独特病毒种属最多。发现了几种感染脊椎动物的病毒，包括杯状病毒、星状病毒和细小病毒。系统发育分析表明，噬菌体的病毒特征基因具有很高的遗传多样性。经过功能注释，大多数噬菌体相关功能基因被归类为能量代谢类别。此外，还发现了大量属于多药类的 ARGs，其中 5 个 ARGs 仅存在于变色沙蜥的病毒组中。本研究首次揭示了高原蜥蜴肠道病毒组的结构和功能，为保护濒危蜥蜴物种提供了参考。此外，我们的研究对蜥蜴科和其他冷血动物及高海拔动物的肠道病毒组研究具有示范意义，有助于深入了解共生病毒的种间差异和传播。生活在青藏高原的蜥蜴被认为是世界上海拔最高的蜥蜴物种，它们已被列入 IUCN 濒危物种名单。这些蜥蜴生活在高原缺氧、干旱的自然环境中，其肠道病毒组呈现出独特的模式，这可能会带来积极和消极的影响，如功能基因的富集和抗生素抗性基因（ARGs）的传播。本研究为进一步研究这些濒危蜥蜴物种和其他冷血动物及高海拔动物的肠道病毒组提供了基础，有助于维护高原生态平衡。
