EAGER: Microencapsulation-based genomics of individual RNA viruses

This project is an outgrowth of a project previously funded by OTIC to develop a method for environment micro-compartment genomics (EMCG) of DNA particles and if this method is successful for RNA, it has potential important applications not only in marine RNA virus research but also in public health and epidemiology. Current methods are not sensitive enough to detect small RNA viruses making quantification of RNA viruses in marine samples difficult.

Methods for direct quantification are needed to verify the numbers in marine habitats. RNA viruses and virus-like particles in the ocean, play a major role in microbial ecology and evolution. The ability to analyses of individual RNA viruses would potentially be transformative in oceanography as well as public health and epidemiology.

As a result of this Bigelow Laboratory’s Single Cell Genomics Center (SCGC) would provide this analysis as a service to the global research community. The PI’s will also mentor an undergraduate student and provide advanced courses Bioinformatics of Microbial Single Cells and Aquatic Flow Cytometry.

The role of RNA viruses is even less understood than those of DNA-containing extracellular genetic elements, due to technical challenges. The PIs have previous OTIC funding to develop environment micro-compartment genomics (EMCG) of DNA particles Early results of this project suggests that a modification of the EMCG methods may enable genomic sequencing of both DNA and RNA particles, thus addressing this pressing need.

The PIs request EAGER funding to develop a novel, microencapsulation-based technology for whole genome sequencing of RNA viruses from the ocean, with potential applications in other environments.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.