Heterogeneity of genetic sequence within quasi-species of influenza virus revealed by single-molecule sequencing.

ABSTRACT: Influenza viruses exhibit high mutation rates and extensive genetic diversity, which hinder effective vaccine development and facilitate immune evasion (Taubenberger and Morens, 2006; Barr et al., 2010). These mutations arise from the error-prone viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, generating highly heterogeneous viral populations within individual hosts that conform to the quasi-species model of a cloud of related genomes evolving under selection (Domingo et al., 2012). Accurate characterization of this intra-host diversity is crucial for understanding viral evolution and improving vaccine design, yet conventional RNA sequencing often fails to detect low-frequency variants because of technical errors during sample preparation and sequencing. Here, we implement a single unique molecular id

SUBMITTER: Tamao K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12774415 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature