GiantHunter: Accurate detection of giant virus in metagenomic data using reinforcement-learning and Monte Carlo tree search

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Main Authors: Qu, Fuchuan, Peng, Cheng, Guan, Jiaojiao, Wang, Donglin, Sun, Yanni, Shang, Jiayu
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Qu, Fuchuan
Peng, Cheng
Guan, Jiaojiao
Wang, Donglin
Sun, Yanni
Shang, Jiayu
author_facet Qu, Fuchuan
Peng, Cheng
Guan, Jiaojiao
Wang, Donglin
Sun, Yanni
Shang, Jiayu
contents Motivation: Nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs) are notable for their large genomes and extensive gene repertoires, which contribute to their widespread environmental presence and critical roles in processes such as host metabolic reprogramming and nutrient cycling. Metagenomic sequencing has emerged as a powerful tool for uncovering novel NCLDVs in environmental samples. However, identifying NCLDV sequences in metagenomic data remains challenging due to their high genomic diversity, limited reference genomes, and shared regions with other microbes. Existing alignment-based and machine learning methods struggle with achieving optimal trade-offs between sensitivity and precision. Results: In this work, we present GiantHunter, a reinforcement learning-based tool for identifying NCLDVs from metagenomic data. By employing a Monte Carlo tree search strategy, GiantHunter dynamically selects representative non-NCLDV sequences as the negative training data, enabling the model to establish a robust decision boundary. Benchmarking on rigorously designed experiments shows that GiantHunter achieves high precision while maintaining competitive sensitivity, improving the F1-score by 10% and reducing computational cost by 90% compared to the second-best method. To demonstrate its real-world utility, we applied GiantHunter to 60 metagenomic datasets collected from six cities along the Yangtze River, located both upstream and downstream of the Three Gorges Dam. The results reveal significant differences in NCLDV diversity correlated with proximity to the dam, likely influenced by reduced flow velocity caused by the dam. These findings highlight the potential of GiantSeeker to advance our understanding of NCLDVs and their ecological roles in diverse environments.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2501_15472
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle GiantHunter: Accurate detection of giant virus in metagenomic data using reinforcement-learning and Monte Carlo tree search
Qu, Fuchuan
Peng, Cheng
Guan, Jiaojiao
Wang, Donglin
Sun, Yanni
Shang, Jiayu
Genomics
Motivation: Nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs) are notable for their large genomes and extensive gene repertoires, which contribute to their widespread environmental presence and critical roles in processes such as host metabolic reprogramming and nutrient cycling. Metagenomic sequencing has emerged as a powerful tool for uncovering novel NCLDVs in environmental samples. However, identifying NCLDV sequences in metagenomic data remains challenging due to their high genomic diversity, limited reference genomes, and shared regions with other microbes. Existing alignment-based and machine learning methods struggle with achieving optimal trade-offs between sensitivity and precision. Results: In this work, we present GiantHunter, a reinforcement learning-based tool for identifying NCLDVs from metagenomic data. By employing a Monte Carlo tree search strategy, GiantHunter dynamically selects representative non-NCLDV sequences as the negative training data, enabling the model to establish a robust decision boundary. Benchmarking on rigorously designed experiments shows that GiantHunter achieves high precision while maintaining competitive sensitivity, improving the F1-score by 10% and reducing computational cost by 90% compared to the second-best method. To demonstrate its real-world utility, we applied GiantHunter to 60 metagenomic datasets collected from six cities along the Yangtze River, located both upstream and downstream of the Three Gorges Dam. The results reveal significant differences in NCLDV diversity correlated with proximity to the dam, likely influenced by reduced flow velocity caused by the dam. These findings highlight the potential of GiantSeeker to advance our understanding of NCLDVs and their ecological roles in diverse environments.
title GiantHunter: Accurate detection of giant virus in metagenomic data using reinforcement-learning and Monte Carlo tree search
topic Genomics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.15472