Cryptosporidium genome sequencing (Aquavalens project). Cryptosporidium

The European Union Framework Programme 7 funded Aquavalens (or “Healthy Water”) research project aims to improve the safety of European drinking water through developing more rapid methods of detecting viruses, bacteria and protozoan parasites. The project is led by the University of East Anglia. The primary phase of this project involves generating new knowledge about the molecular genetics of viral, bacterial and protozoan waterborne pathogens that can be applied to developing new detection technologies. Cryptosporidium is one of the leading protozoan causes of waterborne gastrointestinal disease. Sequencing and comparative genomics of Cryptosporidium species and subtypes is being carried out alongside in vivo studies for the identification of new putative virulence markers, and to identify markers for inclusion in subtyping schemes or epidemiological investigations. The Cryptosporidium Reference Unit, Public Health Wales Microbiology, Swansea, Wales, UK has extracted DNA directly from clinical stool samples and used the sequencing service provided by the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University. Cryptosporidium isolates were sourced from anonymised clinical cases of cryptosporidiosis. Oocysts were harvested from faeces by saturated salt centrifugation flotation, further purified by immunomagnetic separation and surface sterilised by bleach treatment. DNA was then extracted and whole genome sequenced.