Nextera library prep used to characterize novel virus variants

A significant advantage of Nextera™ library preparation technology is its low input requirements. A recent publication exploits this advantage to characterize the emergence and spread of a strain of new hemorrhagic fever viruses in red colobus monkeys in Uganda. Lauck et al. report that simian hemorrhagic fever virus (SHFV) has caused lethal outbreaks of hemorrhagic disease in captive primates, but has not been studied in wild primates. They describe the discovery and genetic characterization of two novel, divergent SHFV variants coinfecting a single male red colobus monkey found in the wild.

The genomic sequencing libraries were created using the Nextera DNA Sample Prep Kit (Roche Titanium-compatible) to locate and characterize any viral entities that may be residing in the wild. The Nextera libraries did not require isolation of viroids from the individual and only a simple total genomic DNA preparation was needed to isolate sufficient DNA (50 ng) for library construction and sequencing. Analysis of the sequence data revealed that the two viral genotypes seen show greater evolutionary sequence divergence than has been observed in other coinfecting virions that infect individuals within a population. The authors state that the results of this investigation will increase the knowledge base of the history and biology of these pathogens, and demonstrate that wild primates are often reservoirs for novel pathogens.

Lauck, M. et al. (2011). Novel, Divergent Simian Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses in a Wild Ugandan Red Colobus Monkey Discovered Using Direct Pyrosequencing PLoS ONE, 6 (4) DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0019056