Metatranscriptomic analysis of the virome of Aphis gossypii from Alabama cotton fields.

This project characterizes the virome of the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii, using the metatranscriptomic RNA sequencing of field-collected populations from cotton agroecosystems in Alabama. Raw RNA-seq reads from pooled aphid alates were generated to identify insect-associated viruses and characterize viral diversity. Complete genomes of three novel iflaviruses are identified in this project. These data support analyses of virus composition, prevalence, and potential ecological roles in aphid biology.