Heterogeneity of Genetic Sequence within Quasi-species of Influenza Virus Revealed by Single-Molecule Sequencing

Abstract

Influenza viruses are characterized by high mutation rates and extensive genetic diversity, which hinder effective vaccine development and facilitate immune evasion (Taubenberger & Morens, 2006; Barr et al., 2010). These mutations primarily arise from the error-prone activity of the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, generating highly heterogeneous viral populations within individual hosts. This phenomenon aligns with the quasi-species model, in which a cloud of related viral genomes evolves under selective pressures (Domingo et al., 2012). Accurate characterization of this intra-host diversity is crucial for understanding viral evolution and informing future vaccine design. However, conventional RNA sequencing technologies often fail to reliably detect low-frequency variants due to technical errors introduced during sample preparation and sequencing steps. In this study, we implemented a single unique molecular identifier (sUMI) approach to minimize sequencing artifacts and achieve an error rate of approximately 10-. This high-resolution method enabled precise quantification of quasi-species diversity from influenza virus populations isolated at the single-particle level. Comparative analyses revealed mutation frequencies well above background error levels, confirming that the observed variation was of biological origin. Furthermore, application of information-theoretic metrics such as Shannon entropy and Jensen-Shannon divergence demonstrated that the mutation distribution was non-random, suggesting the presence of selective constraints. Our findings establish a robust framework for studying intra-host viral evolution and provide critical insights that may enhance AI-driven prediction of mutational trajectories and support more effective influenza vaccine strategies.