Funding period: 2020-2023
Lead: Oliver Lung
Total GRDI funding: $176,000
ViroCap is the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease's (NCFAD) primary method for detection and whole-genome sequencing of unknown and unexpected viruses and viruses that are not routinely tested. This method has been used on hundreds of samples and is in high demand. The current ViroCap method is labour intensive and expensive to perform. In addition, the assay design was based on a 2014 vertebrate virus database of publically available sequences, which is now outdated. The objective of this project is to improve our methods to allow: 1) sequencing of newly discovered viruses, 2) evaluation and potential incorporation of new sequencing reagents, 3) automation to reduce manual labour and human error, and 4) apply additional sample multiplexing capacity in the same run to reduce the cost per sample. By streamlining and enhancing the performance of the primary method for identifying unknown and unexpected pathogens, the CFIA will increase its capacity to deliver on its regulatory mandate for the Animal Health, Plant Health and Food Safety Business Lines.
Publications
- Fisher M, Harrison TMR, Nebroski M, Kruczkiewicz P, Rothenburger JL, Ambagala A, Macbeth B, Lung O. 2020. Discovery and comparative genomic analysis of elk circovirus (ElkCV), a novel circovirus species and the first reported from a cervid host. Sci. Rep. 10(1): http://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-75577-6
- Lung, O, Fisher, M, Nebroski, M, McGregor, G, Schwantje, H, Joseph, T. 2022. Whole-Genome Sequence of Cervid atadenovirus A from the Initial Cases of an Adenovirus Hemorrhagic Disease Epizootic of Black-Tailed Deer in Canada. Microbiology Resource Announcements, [online] 11(10), https://doi.org/10.1128/mra.00662-22
- Pickering, B, Lung, O, Maguire, F, Kruczkiewicz, P, Kotwa, JD, Buchanan, T, Gagnier, M, Guthrie, JL, Jardine, CM, Marchand-Austin, A, Massé, A, McClinchey, H, Nirmalarajah, K, Aftanas, P, Blais-Savoie, J, Chee, HY, Chien, E, Yim, W, Banete, A, Griffin, BD, Yip, L, Goolia, M, Suderman, M, Pinette, M, Smith, G, Sullivan, D, Rudar, J, Vernygora, O, Adey, E, Nebroski, M, Goyette, G, Finzi, A, Laroche, G, Ariana, A, Vahkal, B, Côté, M, McGeer, AJ, Nituch, L, Mubareka, S, Bowman, J. 2022. Divergent SARS-CoV-2 variant emerges in white-tailed deer with deer-to-human transmission. Nature Microbiology, [online] 7(12), 2011-2024. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-022-01268-9
Contact us
For additional information, please contact:
Genomics R&D Initiative
Email: info@grdi-irdg.collaboration.gc.ca