iPHoP

iPHoP predicts the host genus of bacteriophages and archaeoviruses from viral genome sequences to infer virus–host associations in metagenomic studies.

Key Features:

• Two-Step Framework: Integrates multiple computational methods in a two-step process to improve precision and recall of host predictions.
• Genus-Level Prediction: Targets taxonomic assignment at the host genus rank for bacteriophages and archaeoviruses.
• Integrated Methods: Combines complementary approaches to reduce erroneous or absent predictions from individual methods.
• Low False Discovery Rate: Uses method integration to maintain a low false discovery rate in host assignments.
• Reference Database: Leverages metagenome-derived virus genomes from the IMG/VR database as reference data.

Scientific Applications:

• Metagenomic viral discovery: Enables high-throughput exploration of viral sequence space from metagenomes by assigning probable host genera.
• Characterization of uncultivated viruses: Facilitates characterization of uncultivated viruses through predicted host associations.
• Viral ecology and diversity: Supports studies of viral diversity and ecology by linking viruses to bacterial and archaeal hosts and guiding experimental follow-up.

Methodology:

Applies a two-step computational framework that integrates multiple complementary host-prediction methods on viral genome sequences and uses metagenome-derived virus genomes from the IMG/VR database as reference to predict host genus.