In-depth Temporal Transcriptome Profiling of Monkeypox and Host Cells using Nanopore Sequencing.

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Genomics
• Transcriptomics

Background:

• The recent human monkeypox outbreak highlights the need for detailed studies on orthopoxviruses.
• The transcriptome of the monkeypox virus has not been previously characterized using either short- or long-read sequencing.
• Understanding viral transcriptomes is crucial for characterizing viral biology and host-pathogen interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To generate and analyze the first long-read RNA sequencing dataset of the monkeypox virus transcriptome.
• To enable in-depth characterization of the monkeypox virus's transcriptomic architecture.
• To investigate viral and host gene expression changes during infection.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Oxford Nanopore long-read RNA sequencing.
• Sequenced both direct cDNA and native RNA.
• Analyzed viral and host transcriptomic data.

Main Results:

• Generated a comprehensive dataset for monkeypox virus transcriptome analysis.
• The data facilitates the characterization of viral transcriptomic architecture.
• Enabled estimation of gene expression changes in both virus and host cells.

Conclusions:

• This study fills a critical gap in understanding the monkeypox virus transcriptome.
• The generated dataset is a valuable resource for future research on orthopoxviruses.
• Provides a deeper understanding of viral infection-induced alterations at the transcriptome level.