Evolution of RNA viruses in trypanosomatids: new insights from the analysis of Sauroleishmania

• DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07928-x
• Publication Date: 2023-07-25T04:02:06Z
• Authors: Donnamae Klocek; Danyil Grybchuk; Lucie Tichá; Jan Votýpka; Petr Volf; Alexei Yu. Kostygov; Vyacheslav Yurchenko
• Keywords: Subgenus; Viral evolution; Kinetoplastida

RNA viruses play an important role in Leishmania biology and virulence. Their presence was documented three (out of four) subgenera. Sauroleishmania reptiles remained the only underinvestigated group. In this work, we analyzed viral occurrence spp. detected out seven isolates under study. These were two families-Narnaviridae Totiviridae. Phylogenetic inferences demonstrated that totiviruses from L. adleri tarentolae group together within a larger cluster LRV2s, while narnavirus gymnodactyli appeared as phylogenetic relative narnaviruses Blechomonas Taken together, our work not expanded range trypanosomatids can host but also shed new light on evolution potential routes transmission these flagellates.