uncultured crAssphage global survey. uncultured crAssphage

We investigate the origin, evolution, and epidemiology of crAssphage, a widespread human gut virus. Through a global collaboratory, we obtained DNA sequences of crAssphage from over one-third of the world’s countries, showing that its phylogeography is locally clustered within countries, cities, and individuals. We also found colinear crAssphage-like genomes in both Old-World and New-World primates, challenging genomic mosaicism and suggesting that the association of crAssphage with primates may be millions of years old. We conclude that crAssphage is a benign globetrotter virus that may have co-evolved with the human lineage and an integral part of the normal human gut virome.