Work

RuSpacer: a CRISPR spacer database derived from ruminant-associated prokaryotes for virome analysis

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Microorganisms in the ruminant gastrointestinal tract play key roles in lignocellulose degradation and energy conversion. Prokaryote-infecting viruses play a pivotal role in shaping host abundance and metabolism. Despite their importance, host-virus prediction in this environment remains limited, partly due to the lack of specialized clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat spacer datasets. Here, RuSpacer, a database of 181,023 clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat spacers extracted primarily from publicly available rumen-associated prokaryotic genomes, was established. Each spacer is annotated with the taxonomic identity of the genome from which it was derived. RuSpacer enables host-virus prediction via spacer-protospacer matching, particularly in the rumen ecosystem. It can also be integrated with existing publicly available spacer datasets and used for host-virus prediction in environments other than the rumen. Overall, this resource supports research on host-virus interactions, microbial ecology, and virus-based biocontrol strategies in livestock and other complex microbiomes.

Source: Scientific Reports

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-49729-z

Author: Yoshiaki Sato

Institution: Utsunomiya University

Language: English

Topic: Bacteriophages and microbial interactions

Subfield: Ecology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,690

Funders: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo