SNVt

SNVt is a term used in genomics to denote the transversion subset of single nucleotide variants (SNVs). In many sequencing analyses, SNVs describe any single-nucleotide substitution relative to a reference genome, and they are commonly categorized as transitions or transversions. SNVt explicitly signals that the variant is a transversion, i.e., a substitution between a purine and a pyrimidine (A<->C, A<->T, G<->C, G<->T), rather than a transition (A<->G or C<->T).

In practice, SNVt may appear in datasets, pipelines, or publications to distinguish mutation types within SNV calls. The distinction between transitions and transversions can be biologically informative, as different mutational processes leave characteristic signatures. For example, certain forms of DNA damage or repair deficiencies may disproportionately increase specific transversions, influencing downstream analyses such as mutational signature extraction, evolutionary inference, or cancer genomics studies.

However, SNVt is not a universally standardized label. Different tools and projects may use varying terminology or omit explicit labeling of transversions within SNVs. Researchers should verify definitions and classification schemes within their particular data processing workflow and document how SNVt is determined (for instance, which reference genome, allele coding, and variant-calling criteria are used).

See also: single nucleotide variant, transition, transversion, mutational signature, variant annotation.