VirusHunter

VirusHunter identifies viral sequences and their genomic integration sites from next-generation sequencing (NGS) long-read data to characterize insertion loci and support viral genomics studies.

Key Features:

• Versatility with NGS Data: Compatible with multiple NGS platforms, including Roche/454 GS FLX Titanium and other long-read sequencing technologies.
• Identification of Novel Viruses: Detects previously unclassified viral sequences to enable discovery of novel viral pathogens.
• Genomic Integration Analysis: Determines and characterizes viral integration sites and insertion loci within host genomes.

Scientific Applications:

• Pathogen Identification: Identifies microbial pathogens from sequencing data for infectious disease diagnostics.
• Emerging Infectious Diseases Response: Enables rapid detection of novel viruses during outbreaks by identifying unclassified viral sequences from NGS data.
• Viral Genomics Research: Characterizes viral integration sites and supports identification and classification of new virus members within genera such as Phlebovirus and Orbivirus, as demonstrated by Roche/454 GS FLX Titanium sequencing of unclassified isolates from the World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses (WRCEVA) that yielded a novel bunyavirus and a novel reovirus.

Methodology:

A customized data analysis pipeline tailored for long-read sequencing platforms processes NGS data to detect viral sequences and determine genomic insertion points.