Research on the adaptive changes of the virome in Meriones meridianus at laboratory-adaption process

Abstract The Meriones meridianus , a widely distributed rodent across arid and semi-arid desert regions of Eurasia, hosts diverse pathogens and holds potential as an experimental animal. This study focused on the adaptive changes in the virome carried by the M. meridianus during the laboratory domestication, and the key factors driving the changes in the virome. Metagenomic sequencing of lung, liver, and intestinal tissues from wild (W), captive-bred (CBG), and laboratory-bred (LBG) of M. meridianus was performed, followed by comparative analysis of viral carriage. A total of 48 viruses spanning 12 families were detected, Picobirnaviridae and Herpesviridae were the main types of viruses constituting the virome, accounting for 39.58% and 16.67% of the total number of virus, respectively. The numbers of total virus species remained constant across generations, significant tissues-specific differences emerged. Viral traits differed markedly between W and domesticated (CBG/LBG) hosts, and shared virus abundance varied. Virome diversity and evenness increased progressively with domestication, while dominance declined. The intestinal tissue harbored the highest viral richness and abundance, followed by liver and lung. and the intestinal viromes strong positive correlated with total viromes in three generations. This approach demonstrated that during the transition from wild to laboratory animals, the virome of M. meridianus had significantly evolved due to environmental stress in captivity. The main pathway for these changes was fecal-oral transmission through the digestive tract, highlighting that maintaining a high-quality rearing environment was crucial for the successful domestication of M. meridianus as laboratory animals.