Consensus statement: virus taxonomy in the age of metagenomics

Simmonds, P. et al. (2017) Consensus statement: virus taxonomy in the age of metagenomics. Nature Reviews Microbiology, (doi: 10.1038/nrmicro.2016.177) (PMID:28134265)

Abstract

The number and diversity of viral sequences that are identified in metagenomic data far exceeds that of experimentally characterized virus isolates. In a recent workshop, a panel of experts discussed the proposal that, with appropriate quality control, viruses that are known only from metagenomic data can, and should be, incorporated into the official classification scheme of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV). Although a taxonomy that is based on metagenomic sequence data alone represents a substantial departure from the traditional reliance on phenotypic properties, the development of a robust framework for sequence-based virus taxonomy is indispensable for the comprehensive characterization of the global virome. In this Consensus Statement article, we consider the rationale for why metagenomic sequence data should, and how it can, be incorporated into the ICTV taxonomy, and present proposals that have been endorsed by the Executive Committee of the ICTV.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: The workshop and discussions were funded by the Wellcome Trust (grant WT108418AIA).
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Orton, Dr Richard and Davison, Professor Andrew
• Authors: Simmonds, P., Adams, M. J., Benkő, M., Breitbart, M., Brister, J. R., Carstens, E. B., Davison, A. J., Delwart, E., Gorbalenya, A. E., Harrach, B., Hull, R., King, A. M.Q., Koonin, E. V., Krupovic, M., Kuhn, J. H., Lefkowitz, E. J., Nibert, M. L., Orton, R., Roossinck, M. J., Sabanadzovic, S., Sullivan, M. B., Suttle, C. A., Tesh, R. B., van der Vlugt, R. A., Varsani, A., and Zerbini, F. M.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity > Centre for Virus Research
• Journal Name: Nature Reviews Microbiology
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• ISSN: 1740-1526
• ISSN (Online): 1740-1534
• Published Online: 03 January 2017
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2017 Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature
• First Published: First published in Nature Reviews Microbiology 2017
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License