Development of a Rapid Nucleotide Sequence Analysis Method for Avian Influenza Virus

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K20610
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0605:Veterinary medical science, animal science, and related fields
• Research Institution: Kagoshima University
• Principal Investigator: Okuya Kosuke 鹿児島大学, 農水産獣医学域獣医学系, 助教 (10907736)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 鳥インフルエンザウイルス / 高病原性鳥インフルエンザ / 遺伝子解析 / ナノポアシークエンス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Avian influenza virus (AIV) is a genome containing 8 segments of RNA, which can lead to the emergence of diverse AIV strains with different characteristics due to genetic recombination. Therefore, analysis of all gene segments of AIV is crucial for understanding the characteristics of epidemic strains. In this study, a rapid nucleotide sequence analysis method targeting all gene segments of AIV was established, with the aim of constructing a system for real-time detection of changes in the characteristics of epidemic strains. We focused on the Nanopore sequencer Flongle, which is a rapid and low-cost gene analysis tool, to establish a rapid nucleotide sequence determination method. Using the established method, all gene segments of AIV isolates were analyzed and the usefulness of the method as an epidemiological investigation tool was verified.

Free Research Field

ウイルス学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究成果により、過去に分離された鳥インフルエンザウイルス（AIV)の全遺伝子解析を完了した。また、2021/22年シーズンおよび2022/23年シーズンに発生した高病原性鳥インフルエンザウイルスの遺伝子解析を迅速に実施し、行政と連携した高病原性鳥インフルエンザ対策に貢献した。