Improving the reporting of metagenomic virome-scale data

Over the last decade metagenomic sequencing has facilitated an increasing number of virome-scale studies, in turn leading to an exponential expansion in understanding of virus diversity. This is partially driven by the decreasing costs of metagenomic sequencing, improvements in computational tools for revealing novel viruses, and an increased understanding of the key role that viruses play in human and animal health. A central concern associated with this remarkable increase in the number of virome-scale studies is the lack of broadly accepted “gold standards” for reporting the data and results generated. This is of particular importance for animal virome studies as there are a multitude of nuanced approaches for both data presentation and analysis, all of which impact the resulting outcomes. As such, the results of published studies can be difficult to contextualise and may be of reduced utility due to reporting deficiencies. Herein, we aim to address these reporting deficiencies by outlining recommendations for the presentation of virome data, encouraging a transparent communication of findings that can be interpreted in evolutionary and ecological contexts.