NG-STAR

NG-STAR defines clonal complexes from Neisseria gonorrhoeae sequence data to support antimicrobial resistance surveillance and lineage prediction.

Key Features:

• Clonal Complex Definition: Defines CCs by allele similarity and linkage to founder sequence types using PHYLOViZ 2.0, identifying CCs as groups with a minimum of five identical alleles linked to a founding ST.
• Validation: Validated on a 2013 European gonococcal dataset (n=1054), the WHO 2016 reference strain panel (n=14), and ceftriaxone-resistant isolates with penA-60.001 (n=7), with isolates grouped into 71 CCs.
• Phylogenomic Correlation: NG-STAR CCs show stronger correlation with phylogenomic AMR clusters than MLST STs, NG-MAST STs, and NG-MAST genogroups.
• Nomenclature and Sequencing Compatibility: Provides a reproducible, portable nomenclature compatible with whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and Sanger sequencing.
• AMR Lineage Prediction: Aligns with genomic phylogeny to facilitate prediction and tracking of antimicrobial resistance lineages and emerging resistance patterns.

Scientific Applications:

• Global AMR Surveillance: Supports global surveillance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae antimicrobial resistance by providing standardized lineage assignments.
• Integration of Phenotype and Genomics: Enables integration of phenotypic AMR data with whole-genome sequencing to improve epidemiological precision.
• Tracking Multidrug-Resistant Clones: Facilitates tracking of MDR clones such as CC90, including NG-MAST G1407 (MLST ST1901), to monitor spread and evolution.

Methodology:

CCs are identified by analyzing public allele and sequence type data with PHYLOViZ 2.0, defining complexes as groups sharing at least five identical alleles linked to a founding ST.