VIRUSBreakend: Viral Integration Recognition Using Single Breakends

Abstract

Motivation: Integration of viruses into infected host cell DNA can cause DNA damage and disrupt genes. Recent cost reductions and growth of whole genome sequencing has produced a wealth of data in which viral presence and integration detection is possible. While key research and clinically relevant insights can be uncovered, existing software has not achieved widespread adoption, limited in part due to high computational costs, the inability to detect a wide range of viruses, as well as precision and sensitivity. Results: Here, we describe VIRUSBreakend, a high-speed tool that identifies viral DNA presence and genomic integration. It utilizes single breakends, breakpoints in which only one s..