Contract Award For Meningococcal Genome Sequence analysis with sonic shearing of DNA

At Public Health England whole genome sequencing is routinely performed on Neisseria meningitidis to provide typing data and support enhanced surveillance following the introduction of the Meningococcal B and Meningococcal ACWY vaccines into the UK routine vaccination schedules. Due to this PHE awarded a contract to Oxford University to carry out the analysis as their use of relatively random sonic DNA shearing overcame issues stemming from PHE's method which yields fragmented draft genomes on assembly with fewer intact genomic loci.