Comparative Virome Profiling and Discovery of Novel Viruses in Managed and Wild Bees using RNA-seq
Journal: bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
Year: 2025

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 <i>Apis mellifera</i> L. and <i>Ceratina calcarata</i> Robertson collected from agricultural and non-agricultural landscapes. We identified multiple known bee pathogens including Black Queen Cell Virus and Deformed Wing Virus in <