QStrain: an interactive platform for viral genome analysis and nucleic acid therapeutic design.

BACKGROUND: QStrain is an integrated resource platform designed to facilitate viral genome analysis and the rational design of nucleic acid therapeutics. RESULTS: The system integrates reference-guided multiple sequence alignment of high-risk viral pathogens, including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, Lassa virus, Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome virus, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 and H7N9, Nipah virus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, and Dengue virus, with a growing database of viral genomes. QStrain provides versatile visualization modules such as frequency profiles, conservation scores, RNA expression patterns, and phylogenetic trees to enhance the interpretation of viral sequence variation. By identifying highly conserved genomic regions, QStrain supports the prediction of candidate therapeutic targets and enables the automated design of small interfering RNA (siRNA) and antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs). Additional features include off-target searching and 2D structure viewing for comprehensive assessment of therapeutic potential. CONCLUSIONS: Ultimately, QStrain ( https://qstrain.sookmyung.ac.kr ) provides a critical, user-friendly framework to accelerate the design pipeline of nucleic acid-based therapies, enhancing preparedness against current and future viral outbreaks.