Discovery and characterization of RNA viruses in the peanut pest mite Tetranychus ogmophallos (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Abstract

Phytophagous mites of the family Tetranychidae cause agricultural losses, yet their viromes remain poorly characterized. We report the first viral survey of the peanut pest mite Tetranychus ogmophallos, identifying three novel positive-sense RNA viruses by high-throughput sequencing and genomic analyses. Tetranychus ogmophallos iflavirus 1 (ToIV-1) possesses a 10,003 nt genome encoding a typical iflavirus polyprotein and shares 58.8% amino acid identity with its closest relative, supporting recognition as a distinct species. Two additional viruses, Tetranychus ogmophallos nodavirus 1 (ToNV-1) and 2 (ToNV-2), were identified as bipartite alphanodaviruses with conserved RNA1:RNA2 abundance ratios of 2–3:1. Strand-specific RT-PCR confirmed genomic and antigenomic strands for ToIV-1 and ToNV-1, indicating active replication. Differential read analysis showed that ToIV-1 was 37-fold more abundant than ToNV-1, suggesting contrasting replication dynamics. These findings expand RNA virus diversity in spider mites and provide a basis for future studies on persistence and potential ecological relevance.