Total RNA metagenomincs of wild caught Drosophila melanogaster and other species.

Wild Drosophila species were captured from several locations in the United States (Colorado, Maine, Pennsylvania, Ohio and an unknown location) over the summer of 2023. Total RNA was extracted from individual specimens and screened for the presence of galbut virus. A select set of positive samples were prepared for RNA metagenomic sequencing. The study aimed to identify known and novel viral sequences to survey virus prevalence, study virus evolution and interactions between the host, virus and other components of the microbiome.