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Comparative Virome Profiling and Discovery of Novel Viruses in Managed and Wild Bees using RNA-seq

Li-Byarlay, H.

2025-04-30 genomics
10.1101/2025.04.27.650873 bioRxiv
Show abstract

Insect pollinators face growing challenges from viral pathogens that may contribute to population declines, yet comparative data on virome composition in managed versus wild bees remain limited. Using RNA-Seq-based metatranscriptomic analysis, we compared the virome of Apis mellifera L. and Ceratina calcarata Robertson collected from agricultural and non-agricultural landscapes. We identified multiple known bee pathogens including Black Queen Cell Virus and Deformed Wing Virus in A. mellifera, and discovered three novel insect viruses--two iflaviruses and one entomopoxvirus--associated with C. calcarata. Notably, one novel iflavirus was identified in A. mellifera. Our findings reveal species- and landscape-specific viral prevalence, highlight viral diversity beyond canonical bee pathogens, and provide genomic resources for future functional studies. These data offer new insights into virus-host dynamics and underscore the utility of virome profiling in understanding pollinator health at the molecular level.

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