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A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 6, 2025

Isolation and Genome Analysis of Single Virions using 'Single Virus Genomics'

Isolation and Genome Analysis of Single Virions using 'Single Virus Genomics'

Published on: May 26, 2013

ViralWasm: a client-side user-friendly web application suite for viral genomics.

Daniel Ji¹, Robert Aboukhalil², Niema Moshiri¹

¹Department of Computer Science & Engineering, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States.

Bioinformatics (Oxford, England)

|January 10, 2024

Summary

ViralWasm offers a user-friendly web application for viral genomics, enabling client-side analysis of viral pathogens like SARS-CoV-2 and HIV-1 without sensitive data transfer. This tool democratizes genomic surveillance by eliminating computational barriers.

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Last Updated: Jul 6, 2025

Isolation and Genome Analysis of Single Virions using 'Single Virus Genomics'

Isolation and Genome Analysis of Single Virions using 'Single Virus Genomics'

Published on: May 26, 2013

Validating Whole Genome Nanopore Sequencing, using Usutu Virus as an Example

Validating Whole Genome Nanopore Sequencing, using Usutu Virus as an Example

Published on: March 11, 2020

Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins

Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins

Published on: June 11, 2015

Area of Science:

Bioinformatics
Computational Biology
Genomic Epidemiology

Background:

Genomic surveillance of viral pathogens (e.g., SARS-CoV-2, HIV-1) is crucial for public health.
Traditional sequence analysis requires computational expertise, limiting accessibility.
Web-based platforms pose risks by requiring sensitive data upload to remote servers.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce ViralWasm, a novel web application suite for user-friendly viral genomics.
To enable client-side execution of command-line genomic tools within a web browser.
To provide a secure and accessible alternative for viral genomic analysis.

Main Methods:

ViralWasm utilizes WebAssembly to run original command-line tools directly in the user's web browser.
The application provides a graphical user interface, simplifying complex genomic analyses.
No user-side installation or computational expertise is required.

Main Results:

ViralWasm successfully executes viral genomics tools client-side, offering a user-friendly experience.
Performance is near-native, with only a 2-3x slowdown compared to command-line execution.
Sensitive genomic data remains on the user's local machine, enhancing privacy and security.

Conclusions:

ViralWasm democratizes viral genomic surveillance by removing technical and privacy barriers.
The tool empowers researchers and public health professionals with accessible, secure bioinformatics capabilities.
This approach significantly enhances the utility of genomic data for epidemiological studies.