Celebrating 50 years of virus genomics by revisiting the first decade (1976-1985)

Siobain Duffy , J Steen Hoyer

Whole genome sequencing was pioneered in viruses, beginning with the publication of the third and final portion of the levivirus MS2 genome on April 8th, 1976. Fifty years and incalculable viral genomes later, we chose to examine the first decade of viral genomics for posterity. We found that 97 whole genome sequences were published between 1976 and 1985, with some species having as many as seven individual genomes separately sequenced. Early efforts included most genomic architectures of viruses, with roughly equal proportions of RNA (26%), DNA (38%) and retrotranscribing viruses (36%) fully sequenced. However, influenza A was the sole completed -ssRNA viral genome in this decade and no dsRNA viruses were fully sequenced. Nearly two-thirds of sequences (64%) were obtained at least partially using Maxam-Gilbert sequencing, demonstrating that Sanger dideoxy chain termination sequencing did not immediately displace this earlier chemical cleavage technique. As some of these genomes predated the existence of GenBank, many of these genomes were transcribed into GenBank years after publication, and two are still not available in GenBank. This documentation of the initial ten years of what is now a routine part of viral evolution studies should help us celebrate our roots, allow us to order the published genomes as our colleagues working with archaea, bacteria and eukaryotes do, and help correct the misconception that phiX174 was the first genome (or DNA genome) sequenced.