Complete genomic characterization of global pathogens respiratory syntical virus and human norovirus using probe based capture enrichment

Abstract

Abstract Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections in children worldwide, while human noroviruses (HuNoV) are a leading cause of epidemic and sporadic acute gastroenteritis. Generating full-length genome sequences for these viruses is crucial for understanding viral diversity and tracking emerging variants. However, obtaining high-quality sequencing data is often challenging due to viral strain variability, quality, and low titers. Here, we present a set of comprehensive oligonucleotide probe sets designed from 1,570 RSV and 1,376 HuNoV isolate sequences in GenBank. Using these probe sets and a capture enrichment sequencing workflow, 85 RSV positive nasal swab samples and 55 (49 stool and six human intestinal enteroids) HuNoV positive samples encompassing major subtypes and genotypes were characterized. Samples with Ct values 17.0–29.9 for RSV, and 20.2–34.8 for HuNoV, with some HuNoV below the detection limit were sequenced. The percentage of reads mapped to viral genomes was 85.1% for RSV and 40.8% for HuNoV post-capture, compared to 0.08% and 1.15% in pre-capture libraries. Full-length genomes were obtained for all RSV positive samples and in 47/55 HuNoV positive samples—a significant improvement over genome recovery from pre-capture libraries. RSV transcriptome (subgenomic mRNAs) sequences were also characterized from this data.

Keywords

• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
• Human norovirus (HuNoV)
• Capture enrichment
• Genome sequencing