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The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has spurred a global rush to uncover basic biological mechanisms to inform effective vaccine and drug development. Despite the novelty of the virus, global sequencing efforts have already identified genomic variation across isolates. To enable easy exploration and spatial visualization of the potential implications of SARS-CoV-2 mutations in infection, host immunity and drug development, we have developed COVID-3D (http://biosig.unimelb.edu.au/covid3d/).
The WashU Virus Genome Browser is a web-based portal for efficient visualization of viral ‘omics’ data in the context of a variety of annotation tracks and host infection responses. The browser features both a phylogenetic-tree-based view and a genomic-coordinate, track-based view in which users can analyze the sequence features of viral genomes, sequence diversity among viral strains, genomic sites of diagnostic tests, predicted immunogenic epitopes and a continuously updated repository of publicly available genomic datasets.
The UCSC SARS-CoV-2 Genome Browser (https://genome.ucsc.edu/covid19.html) is an adaptation of our popular genome-browser visualization tool for this virus, containing many annotation tracks and new features, including conservation with similar viruses, immune epitopes, RT–PCR and sequencing primers and CRISPR guides. We invite all investigators to contribute to this resource to accelerate research and development activities globally.
Standardized gene naming is crucial for effective communication about genes, and as genomics becomes increasingly important in health care, the need for a consistent language to refer to human genes becomes ever more essential. Here, we present the current HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC) guidelines for naming not only protein-coding genes but also RNA genes and pseudogenes, and we outline the changes in approach and ethos that have resulted from the discoveries of the past few decades.
Genetic discrimination is one of the most pervasive challenges resulting from research and development in human genetics. To collaboratively study and prevent this ethical issue, we established an international Genetic Discrimination Observatory comprising a network of researchers and stakeholders from more than 19 jurisdictions.
The African Orphan Crops Consortium promotes the strategic, genome-enabled improvement of under-researched crops for biodiversity-based, nutritious food solutions in Africa. The African Plant Breeding Academy empowers the continent’s plant breeders to apply advanced genetic approaches and shared genetic solutions to the task of tailoring the immense diversity of underutilized crops to the needs of Africa’s producers, processors and consumers.
