Detection of 156 Virus Species with Full-Strain Coverage: Targeted Capture Probes for Screening of Human Infectious Pathogens

Background

More than several hundred virus species are currently known to infect humans, and the pathogenic spectrum is highly complex. It includes pathogens such as influenza viruses and enteroviruses, which circulate widely in human populations and cause common respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, as well as highly pathogenic, high-risk viruses such as Ebola virus and Nipah virus, which can cause severe disease, clustered outbreaks, and even cross-species transmission. Facing such a complex viral spectrum, the traditional "one disease, one test" model can no longer meet the needs of precise prevention and control.

According to the "List of Pathogenic Microorganisms Transmitted Among Humans" and the classification standards of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, pathogenic viruses capable of infecting humans or closely related to human health belong to multiple viral families and genera, differing significantly in genome type, transmission route, pathogenic characteristics, and host range, which further increases the difficulty of rapid pathogen identification [1].

Notice of the National Health Commission on Human Infectious Catalogue of Pathogenic Microorganisms:

iGeneTech (IGT) launches a multiplexed whole-genome capture probe detection solution covering 156 virus species, with full-strain coverage of each species — 2,117,275 strains in total — to prevent missed detection. It supports both manual and automated workflows and is compatible with multiple sample types, providing technical support for the prevention and control of various human infectious diseases and enabling efficient, precise detection, typing, and tracing.

Species (Strains) Covered by the Detection Solution

Pathogen Detection Matrix

Based on the pathogenic spectrum above, iGeneTech developed two viral capture technologies: the Human-Pathogenic 132 Virus Comprehensive Panel (132 less-common mixed human pathogens) and the Human-Pathogenic 24 Virus Core Panel (24 common mixed human pathogens), together covering 156 human-pathogenic viruses.

In solution probe capture technology, the "breadth" of probe design directly determines detection coverage. Based on the self-developed TargetSeq® solution hybrid capture core technology, multiple viral hybridization capture detection solutions were developed, using the genome sequences of all strains of the 156 pathogenic microorganisms recorded in the NCBI public database over the past 20 years as target regions. With a high-density tiling design strategy, a capture probe library containing 2,386,550 specific probes was constructed.

This technology can efficiently capture novel variant sites arising during rapid viral transmission, providing high-resolution viral variation monitoring andtracing analysis capability for public health surveillance systems and key technical support for precise outbreak prevention and control.

TargetSeq® Automated Library Preparation, Capture, and Sequencing Solution for Pathogenic Microorganisms

iGeneTech’s self-developed automated workstation reagent cartridge solution enables rapid, independent processing of individual samples, while flexibly scaling throughput through a multi-unit matrix, greatly reducing manual operations. Simply adding extracted nucleic acids, capture probes, and Index sequences to the cartridge starts the fully automated workflow with no additional manual intervention, fully meeting laboratory requirements for operational flexibility and fast turnaround.

Figure 1. Automated Library Preparation and Capture Workflow

Figure 2.  AS01 Automated Library Preparation and Capture Workflow for Whole Genome Pathogenic Microorganisms

The automated liquid workflow, combined with the DNA & RNA co-library preparation capture kit and the rapid hybridization capture protocol, achieves short-time hybridization between probes and libraries and supports same-day sequencing. It also enables simultaneous detection of DNA pathogens and RNA viruses within the same sample, effectively reducing reagent consumption and sample input.

Based on iGeneTech’s self-developed automated whole-genome analysis workflow for pathogenic microorganisms, raw sequencing data undergo quality control; the remaining Reads are aligned against a pathogen reference database, Reads mapped to target pathogens are extracted for de novo assembly, and the Top 1 strain by Read count is selected as the reference for reference-guided assembly, ultimately generating full-length sequences.

By integrating the automated experimental workflow with proprietary pathogen analysis algorithms, iGeneTech delivers a complete end-to-end targeted capture sequencing solution for pathogenic microorganisms, completing sample processing, library enrichment, sequencing, and pathogen sequence analysis in one stop.

Figure 3. Workflow of pathogen analysis all-in-one workstation

Core Highlights

156 viruses, two flexibly combinable Panels: the 24-species Core Panel covers the most common clinical pathogens for rapid screening; the 132-species Comprehensive Panel covers highly pathogenic, emerging, and outbreak-associated viruses for in-depth investigation and epidemic surveillance. The two can be flexibly combined to meet different application scenarios.

Joint DNA/RNA detection, one tube all the way: the universal co-library preparation kit captures both DNA and RNA viruses simultaneously, eliminating separate library construction, simplifying the workflow, and saving sample input.

Fully automated workflow with reproducible standards: from library construction to data analysis, the entire chain is equipped with automated instruments and integrated reagents, ensuring reproducibility and generalizability of results.

Ordering Information

Conclusion

In an era of frequent emerging infectious diseases, pathogen detection needs to shift from "passive response" to "active surveillance." With its Taxonomy ID-based full-strain probe design strategy, iGeneTech’s TargetSeq® pathogen capture sequencing solution achieves comprehensive coverage of 156 human-pathogenic viruses.

Reference

https://www.nhc.gov.cn/qjjys/c100016/202308/57f94fa7e121475ab87ff0ea14a92f6c.shtml