The first RNA viruses detected in a trypanosome
Our study expands both the known diversity of RNA viruses in trypanosomatids and the range of trypanosomatid genera that host these viruses, providing guidance for future screening. We suggest that vector ecology-particularly feeding behavior-may influence viral acquisition by trypanosomes, explaining the previous absence of viral reports from intensively studied trypanosomes of medical relevance vectored by tsetse flies or kissing bugs. Therefore, overlooked species transmitted by Nematocera represent promising candidates for future viral discovery. This concept extends beyond trypanosomatids, providing a general framework for understanding the conditions that permit viral host switching by viruses among microeukaryotes.
Authors
- Danyil Grybchuk (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7506-2738)
- Donnamae Klocek (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9066-005X)
- Jan Votýpka (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0552-9363)
- A. N. Kostygov
- J. Lukes
- Jairo A. Mendoza-Roldan
- Vyacheslav Yurchenko
Institutions
- Central European Institute of Technology (CZ)
- Sewanee: The University of the South (US)
- University of Ostrava (CZ)
- Charles University (CZ)
- Zoological Institute (RU)
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice (CZ)
- Central European Institute of Technology – Masaryk University (CZ)
- Institute of Parasitology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SK)
- Central European Institute of Technology (AT)
- University of Bari Aldo Moro (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- BMC Biology
- Published
- 2026-01-30
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-025-02497-0
- Primary Topic
- Trypanosoma species research and implications
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Grantová Agentura České Republiky