NCPV 500: An Electronic Resource for Mining Viral Genomes

NCPV 500 is collaboration between Public Health England and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (WTSI) to produce 500 viral genomes from PHE’s National Collection of Pathogenic Viruses (NCPV) using the Illumina sequencing platform. The NCPV 500 project will provide Whole Genome sequencing data for each strain within the NCPV collection and is a vital step forward for in-depth strain characterisation. Additionally the sequencing of multiple isolates, strains or species enables understanding of the factors responsible for varying virulence using comparative genomics.

To date the nucleic acid from 384 ACDP Hazard Group 2 NCPV viruses has been extracted and sequenced by the WTSI. Genomic data from 139 RNA virus strains has recently been uploaded to the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA) and is publically available for scientists globally to use to enhance their knowledge of these important pathogens  (Project code: PRJEB12890). It is intended that the data generated by the NCPV 500 project will be combined with the viral strain metadata and both information sources will be available via the Culture Collections Biological Resource Information System (BRiC). The BRIC resource will capture all the information regarding the virus strains, including isolation and deposit details, safety data sheets, production and quality control results.

The online availability of the NCPV 500 dataset coupled with the biological availability of the virus strains and/or nucleic acids from NCPV, will enable investigation of the interactions between genotype and phenotype of known, emerging and novel viral pathogens.  Researchers are invited to deposit newly isolated virus strains into NCPV free of charge, and have the viral genomes sequenced and added to the BRIC.

To keep up to date on the progress of NCPV 500 and BRiC follow us on Twitter: @NCPV