Metagenomic studies of viruses in weeds and wild plants: A powerful approach to characterise variable virus communities

TY - JOUR

T1 - Metagenomic studies of viruses in weeds and wild plants

T2 - A powerful approach to characterise variable virus communities

AU - Hasiów-Jaroszewska, Beata

AU - Boezen, Dieke

AU - Zwart, Mark P.

N1 - 7321, ME

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - High throughput sequencing (HTS) has revolutionised virus detection and discovery, al-lowing for the untargeted characterisation of whole viromes. Viral metagenomics studies have demonstrated the ubiquity of virus infection—often in the absence of disease symptoms—and tend to discover many novel viruses, highlighting the small fraction of virus biodiversity described to date. The majority of the studies using high-throughput sequencing to characterise plant viromes have focused on economically important crops, and only a small number of studies have considered weeds and wild plants. Characterising the viromes of wild plants is highly relevant, as these plants can affect disease dynamics in crops, often by acting as viral reservoirs. Moreover, the viruses in unmanaged systems may also have important effects on wild plant populations and communities. Here, we review metagenomic studies on weeds and wild plants to show the benefits and limita-tions of this approach and identify knowledge gaps. We consider key genomics developments that are likely to benefit the field in the near future. Although only a small number of HTS studies have been performed on weeds and wild plants, these studies have already discovered many novel vi-ruses, demonstrated unexpected trends in virus distributions, and highlighted the potential of met-agenomics as an approach.

AB - High throughput sequencing (HTS) has revolutionised virus detection and discovery, al-lowing for the untargeted characterisation of whole viromes. Viral metagenomics studies have demonstrated the ubiquity of virus infection—often in the absence of disease symptoms—and tend to discover many novel viruses, highlighting the small fraction of virus biodiversity described to date. The majority of the studies using high-throughput sequencing to characterise plant viromes have focused on economically important crops, and only a small number of studies have considered weeds and wild plants. Characterising the viromes of wild plants is highly relevant, as these plants can affect disease dynamics in crops, often by acting as viral reservoirs. Moreover, the viruses in unmanaged systems may also have important effects on wild plant populations and communities. Here, we review metagenomic studies on weeds and wild plants to show the benefits and limita-tions of this approach and identify knowledge gaps. We consider key genomics developments that are likely to benefit the field in the near future. Although only a small number of HTS studies have been performed on weeds and wild plants, these studies have already discovered many novel vi-ruses, demonstrated unexpected trends in virus distributions, and highlighted the potential of met-agenomics as an approach.

KW - HTS

KW - Plant virus

KW - Viromes

KW - Weeds

KW - Wild plants

KW - international

KW - Plan_S-Compliant-OA

U2 - 10.3390/v13101939

DO - 10.3390/v13101939

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85116477475

SN - 1999-4915

VL - 13

JO - Viruses

JF - Viruses

IS - 10

M1 - 1939

ER -