How ecology shapes the viromes of wild birds

该项目将使用最先进的澳大利亚野生鸟类的元转录组学来揭示与病毒的多样性、进化和动态相关的宿主因素。野生动物宿主中的病毒群落结构及其相关的生态驱动因素仍然是一个黑匣子，尽管它们是自然界中病毒多样性的最大来源。该项目期望对病毒群落动态的宿主相关驱动因素以及城市化和家禽生产等人为因素的后续影响产生关键的见解。确定影响野鸟病毒生态的宿主因素将成为了解强毒病毒出现和/或向家禽或人类传播的基石。

This project will reveal the host factors associated with the diversity, evolution and dynamics of viruses using state-of-the-art metatranscriptomics in Australian wild birds. The structure of virus communities and their associated ecological drivers in wild animal hosts remain a black-box, even though they are the largest source of viral diversity in nature. This project expects to generate key insights into host-associated drivers of viral community dynamics and the subsequent effect of anthropogenic factors such as urbanisation and poultry production. Identifying host factors that affect viral ecology in wild birds will constitute a cornerstone in understanding the emergence of virulent viruses and/or their spread to poultry or humans