Okada Erika, Chiyoda Kazuma, Inoue Kanata Sakaya, Yamasaki Kazuhisa, Takata Mamoru, Satoh Toshiyuki, Koyama Satoshi
Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwai, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan.
Institute of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwai, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan.
Arch Virol. 2025 Apr 15;170(5):102. doi: 10.1007/s00705-025-06285-7.
The relationship between hosts and viruses is influenced by various factors. One potential factor is sociality. In social organisms such as ants, the interaction between hosts and viruses might differ from those of solitary organisms due to their unique ecology. We previously isolated a double-stranded RNA toti-like virus, Camponotus yamaokai virus (CYV), from the arboreal ant Camponotus yamaokai. The ant exhibits a polygynous colony structure with multiple queens and within-nest mating behaviors. Such unique ecological traits may have driven the evolution of a distinctive relationship with the virus. However, the biological characteristics of CYV have not been sufficiently studied. In this study, we investigated the biological characteristics of CYV through rearing experiments and field surveys. No horizontal transmission between workers and broods was detected, and there were no significant differences in prevalence between castes. CYV was detected at all seven locations surveyed, with prevalence ranging from 60-95%. The high CYV prevalence across the host's distribution range indicates that the geographical distribution of CYV aligns with that of its host. These results suggest that CYV has spread throughout the host population, primarily through vertical transmission.
宿主与病毒之间的关系受多种因素影响。一个潜在因素是社会性。在蚂蚁等社会性生物中，由于其独特的生态习性，宿主与病毒之间的相互作用可能与独居生物不同。我们之前从树栖蚂蚁山蚁（Camponotus yamaokai）中分离出一种双链RNA类全病毒，即山蚁病毒（CYV）。这种蚂蚁呈现多蚁后群体结构，有多个蚁后且存在巢内交配行为。此类独特的生态特征可能推动了与该病毒独特关系的进化。然而，CYV的生物学特性尚未得到充分研究。在本研究中，我们通过饲养实验和实地调查来研究CYV的生物学特性。未检测到工蚁与幼虫之间的水平传播，不同蚁型之间的感染率也无显著差异。在所调查的所有七个地点均检测到CYV，感染率在60%至95%之间。CYV在宿主分布范围内的高感染率表明CYV的地理分布与其宿主一致。这些结果表明，CYV主要通过垂直传播在宿主群体中传播开来。
