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AI Study by Chinese and Australian Researchers Discovers 161,979 New RNA Virus Species

Oct 10, 2024, 09:16 AM

An AI-driven study published in Cell Press has discovered 161,979 new RNA virus species, significantly expanding the known viral diversity on Earth. Researchers, including Chinese and Australian scientists, used a deep learning algorithm called LucaProt to analyze vast amounts of genetic data, specifically targeting RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) sequences. This is the largest number of viruses ever discovered in a single study. This breakthrough addresses limitations in current metagenomic tools that often fail to identify highly divergent RNA viruses. The study could vastly improve the mapping of life on Earth, aiding in the identification of many millions more viruses yet to be characterized.