RNA viruses in water shape the viromes of shrimp and fish in aquaculture systems

Abstract

Aquatic environments host immense RNA viral diversity, yet the extent to which waterborne viruses influence the virome of aquatic animals remains unclear. Here, we conducted a comprehensive longitudinal metatranscriptomic analysis of water, shrimp, and fish across multiple culture stages in aquaculture systems. We identified 3,211 RNA viruses spanning 21 viral supergroups, with 97.4% representing novel species. Water exhibited the greatest viral diversity (3,093 species), followed by shrimp (1,280) and fish (398), with most viruses detected in shrimp and fish also detected in water. Diversity analyses revealed increasing richness and significant compositional shifts in 92 high-abundance viruses (>1,000 RPM) across culture stages. Viral abundance in aquatic animals was strongly correlated with that in water, and the temporal trajectories of the 16 most abundant viruses were closely synchronized between water and shrimp. Furthermore, 337 virus species were shared among shrimp and two fish species, of which 309 were present in water. These findings demonstrated that RNA viruses in water shape the composition and dynamics of aquatic animal viromes, underscoring the importance of water virome surveillance and management for disease prevention in shrimp aquaculture.