Data_Sheet_1_VPsero: Rapid Serotyping of Vibrio parahaemolyticus Using Serogroup-Specific Genes Based on Whole-Genome Sequencing Data.xlsx

Vibrio parahaemolyticus has emerged as a significant enteropathogen in human and marine habitats worldwide, notably in regions where aquaculture products constitute a major nutritional source. It is a growing cause of diseases including gastroenteritis, wound infections, and septicemia. Serotyping assays use commercially available antisera to identify V. parahaemolyticus strains, but this approach is limited by high costs, complicated procedures, cross-immunoreactivity, and often subjective interpretation. By leveraging high-throughput sequencing technologies, we developed an in silico method based on comparison of gene clusters for lipopolysaccharide (LPSgc) and capsular polysaccharide (CPSgc) by firstly using the unique-gene strategy. The algorithm, VPsero, which exploits serogroup-specific genes as markers, covers 43 K and all 12 O serogroups in serotyping assays. VPsero is capable of predicting serotypes from assembled draft genomes, outputting LPSgc/CPSgc sequences, and recognizing possible novel serogroups or populations. Our tool displays high specificity and sensitivity in prediction toward V. parahaemolyticus strains, with an average sensitivity in serogroup prediction of 0.910 for O and 0.961 for K serogroups and a corresponding average specificity of 0.990 for O and 0.998 for K serogroups.副溶血性弧菌（Vibrio parahaemolyticus）已成为全球范围内人类与海洋生境中重要的肠道致病菌，在水产养殖产品作为主要营养来源的地区尤为突出。该菌是引发胃肠炎、伤口感染及败血症等疾病的日益常见的致病菌。血清分型检测采用商业化抗血清来鉴定副溶血性弧菌菌株，但该方法存在成本高昂、操作流程复杂、易出现交叉免疫反应，且结果判读常带主观性等局限。本研究依托高通量测序技术，首先采用独特基因策略，基于脂多糖基因簇（LPSgc）与荚膜多糖基因簇（CPSgc）的序列比对，开发了一款计算机预测方法VPsero。该算法以血清群特异性基因为标记位点，可覆盖血清分型检测中的43种K血清群与全部12种O血清群。VPsero可从组装完成的草图基因组中预测菌株血清型，输出LPSgc/CPSgc序列，并可识别潜在的新型血清群或种群。本工具对副溶血性弧菌菌株的血清型预测表现出优异的特异性与敏感性：O血清群预测的平均敏感性为0.910、平均特异性为0.990；K血清群预测的平均敏感性为0.961、平均特异性为0.998。