HCMV-WG sequencing using enrichment long-range PCR coupled Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT)

This study aimed to generate high-quality whole-genome assemblies of the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) Merlin strain derived from a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clone (RCMV1111). The viral genome was amplified using a long-range tiling PCR protocol and sequenced using Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) MinION platform with both Q10+ and Q20+ chemistries. The goal was to validate the robustness and fidelity of the enrichment strategy and to assess improvements in read accuracy using newer ONT chemistry. These data support viral genome characterisation and method optimisation for future clinical applications.