Sekvenciranje genoma SARS-COV-2 u Veterinarskom specijalistićkom institutu "Kraljevo" tokom pandemije 2020. godine

Abstract

A new beta-coronavirus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged at the end of 2019 and quickly escalated into a pandemic, reaching more than 135 million cases. The key elements in discovering the nature of any emerging pathogen are deciphering its genome and conducting a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) allowed rapid identification of SARS-CoV-2, which had a very high homology of the sequence with the bat coronaviruses, as well as similarity to the previously described SARS-CoV. Realizing the importance of whole genome sequencing, the virology laboratory VSI "Kraljevo" became the first laboratory in Serbia to sequence the whole genome of the SARS-CoV-2. Also, it was the first time that third generation of sequencing was performed in Serbia, using Minion device (Oxford Nanopore Technologies, UK). For sample and library preparation was used the ARTIC NETWORK protocol, enabling sequencing up to 11 samples per run. In total, complete nucleotide sequences of 150 samples were obtained in VSI Kraljevo. The sequenced samples were originated from VSI Kraljevo, NIV Novi Sad, VSI Šabac and VSI Niš Results of analysing SARS-CoV-2 WGS obtained in VSI Kraljevo enabled first insight in genomes of viruses that were circulating in Serbia. Phylogenetic analyses of obtained sequences and their comparison with the SARS-CoV2 sequences published in GISAID and NCBI GenBank indicated several independent routes of viruses introduction in the country and identified their the most probable countries of origin. Additional bioinformatics and molecular analysis that are undergoing will try to try to connect the discovered mutations with virulence /pathogenicity/ reproduction power of Serbian strains and also with epidemiological data, enabling development of different knowledge-based strategies to combat this new virus.