Bioinformatics tools used for whole-genome sequencing analysis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae: a literature review

Abstract

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data are well established for the investigation of gonococcal transmission, antimicrobial resistance prediction, population structure determination and population dynamics. A variety of bioinformatics tools, repositories, services and platforms have been applied to manage and analyze Neisseria gonorrhoeae WGS datasets. This review provides an overview of the various bioinformatics approaches and resources used in 105 published studies (as of 30 April 2021). The challenges in the analysis of N. gonorrhoeae WGS datasets, as well as future bioinformatics requirements, are also discussed.

Keywords: Neisseria gonorrhoeae; antimicrobial resistance; bioinformatics; molecular epidemiology; population structure; strain typing; whole genome sequencing.