Investigating RNA Viruses Infecting Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi.

Fungi are known to be frequently infected by mycoviruses, which could play an important yet underexplored role in the fungal holobiont. Mycoviruses can enhance fungal traits, such as salinity tolerance and resistance to fungicides, and may also benefit plant hosts in tripartite interactions. While research on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) has focused on their ecological and agricultural value, few studies have explored their virome, possibly due to the difficulty of culturing AMF in the lab. This study presents an updated bioinformatic approach for virome characterization, emphasizing RNA viral ORFans and providing protocols for high-quality RNA extraction from AMF.