Project description:While employing deep sequencing and de novo assembly to characterize the mRNA transcript profile of a cell line derived from the microbat Myotis velifer incautus, we serendipitously identified mRNAs encoding proteins with a high level of identity to herpesviruses. Next generation sequencing and de novo assembly of the viral genome from supernatants from Vero cells yielded a single contig of approximately 130 kilobases with at least 80 ORFs, predicted microRNAs and a gammaherpesvirus genomic organization. Phylogenetic analysis of the envelope glycoprotein (gB) and DNA polymerase (POLD1) revealed similarity to multiple gammaherpesvirus, including those from as yet uncultured viruses of the Rhadinovirus genus that were obtained by deep sequencing of bat tissues. Cumulatively, this study provides the first isolation and characterization of a replication competent bat gammaherpesvirus.
Project description:Bats are a major reservoir of zoonotic viruses, and there has been growing interest in characterizing bat-specific features of innate immunity and inflammation. Recent studies have revealed bat-specific adaptations affecting interferon (IFN) signaling and IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs), but we still have a limited understanding of the genetic mechanisms that have shaped the evolution of bat immunity. Here we investigated the transcriptional and epigenetic dynamics of transposable elements (TEs) during the type I IFN response in little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) primary embryonic fibroblast cells, using RNA-seq and CUT&RUN. We found multiple bat-specific TEs that undergo both locus-specific and family-level transcriptional upregulation in response to IFN. Our transcriptome reassembly identified multiple ISGs that have acquired novel exons from bat-specific TEs, including NRLC5, SLNF5 and a previously unannotated isoform of the IFITM2 gene. We also identified examples of TE-derived regulatory elements, but did not find strong evidence supporting genome-wide epigenetic activation of TEs in response to IFN. Collectively, our study uncovers numerous TE-derived transcripts, proteins, and alternative isoforms that are induced by IFN in Myotis lucifugus cells, highlighting potential candidate loci that contribute to bat-specific immune function.
Project description:Bats are a major reservoir of zoonotic viruses, and there has been growing interest in characterizing bat-specific features of innate immunity and inflammation. Recent studies have revealed bat-specific adaptations affecting interferon (IFN) signaling and IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs), but we still have a limited understanding of the genetic mechanisms that have shaped the evolution of bat immunity. Here we investigated the transcriptional and epigenetic dynamics of transposable elements (TEs) during the type I IFN response in little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) primary embryonic fibroblast cells, using RNA-seq and CUT&RUN. We found multiple bat-specific TEs that undergo both locus-specific and family-level transcriptional upregulation in response to IFN. Our transcriptome reassembly identified multiple ISGs that have acquired novel exons from bat-specific TEs, including NRLC5, SLNF5 and a previously unannotated isoform of the IFITM2 gene. We also identified examples of TE-derived regulatory elements, but did not find strong evidence supporting genome-wide epigenetic activation of TEs in response to IFN. Collectively, our study uncovers numerous TE-derived transcripts, proteins, and alternative isoforms that are induced by IFN in Myotis lucifugus cells, highlighting potential candidate loci that contribute to bat-specific immune function.