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Background
HCV-GLUE is a specialized project built using the GLUE software framework to facilitate genomic research on Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). It was developed to meet the demands of comparative genomics in HCV research and provides standardized tools for genotyping, analyzing genomic variation, and investigating drug resistance. HCV-GLUE enables researchers to leverage high-quality genomic data to address critical questions in HCV biology and epidemiology.
HCV-GLUE was developed at the University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR) from 2015-2020. At that time, GLUE was still in its development phase. Since multiple research groups within the CVR were investigating HCV genomics, HCV was chosen as one of the first test cases for applying GLUE in a real-world scientific context.
The project led to the implementation of a web-based HCV-GLUE resource that remains hosted by the CVR, although active development has since slowed. HCV-GLUE continues to offer an essential toolset for HCV researchers globally, though it has perhaps been underutilized, possibly due to limited promotion and dissemination.
HCV-GLUE showcases several key functionalities of the GLUE framework, including:
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Collating and Managing HCV Genomic Data: HCV-GLUE provides a standardized mechanism for gathering, storing, and managing HCV genomic sequences.
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Standardized Genotyping Tools: One of the central features of HCV-GLUE is its implementation of standardized genotyping protocols, which allow researchers to consistently classify HCV sequences into genotypes and subtypes. This ensures comparability across studies and facilitates the identification of epidemiological patterns.
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Web-Based Resource: The web-based instance of HCV-GLUE allows users to access data, perform analyses, and share results without needing extensive computational resources, making it accessible to a wide range of researchers.
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Investigating Genomic Variation: Researchers can use HCV-GLUE to explore the genetic diversity of HCV populations, track viral evolution, and identify mutations that may affect viral fitness or resistance to antiviral drugs. See the PHE-HCV-DRUG-RESISTANCE extension project.
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Drug Resistance Assessment: HCV-GLUE supports the identification and interpretation of drug resistance mutations in HCV, helping researchers assess how specific mutations may impact the efficacy of antiviral treatments.
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Antigenic Properties of HCV: The platform allows the study of antigenic variation in HCV, aiding efforts to develop vaccines or immune-based therapies by identifying key regions of the virus that are targeted by the immune system. See the HCV-NABS extension project.
HCV-GLUE remains an active web resource for HCV genomics research. The GLUE framework's Dockerisation has ensured the long-term stability and usability of the platform, making it possible for standalone users to continue utilizing HCV-GLUE in their research. Despite its low visibility, HCV-GLUE remains one of the world's most comprehensive resources for HCV genomics, offering tools that are unmatched in their standardization and flexibility.