Our Focus Design Team April 5, 2022
Our Focus

The field of microbiology is data-rich, comprising of complex interactions between plants, animals, microbes, and their environments. Effectively analyzing microbiome data provides meaningful insights into the health, productivity, and functional profile of client samples. At Metagenom, we specialize in sequencing amplicons and analyzing microbiomes through microbial composition and biostatistical analysis.

In addition to our standard bioinformatic analyses, we offer custom composition and biostatistical analysis based on your research questions. We including workflow design and implementation. This promotes faster, more reliable analysis and reproducible research within your organization.
Amplicon Sequencing

In amplicon sequencing, a specific fragment of DNA is amplified by PCR, and then sequenced. An amplicon can be a taxonomic or functional marker gene that is sequenced and compared to a reference database to classify organisms, acting much like a barcode.

Amplicon sequencing of marker genes such as the 16S or 18S rRNA gene provides insight into the taxonomic composition and relative abundance of the microbiome of environmental samples. 

Microbiome

The microbiome is the community of microorganisms in an environment, which includes bacteria, archaea, fungi, and other microscopic eukaryotes.

Sequencing the microbiome of an environmental sample can reveal the relative abundance of organisms (amplicon sequencing), the potential genes and functions (metagenomics), and the genes that are expressed (transcriptomics).

eDNA

eDNA, or environmental DNA, is the genetic material from organisms found in the environment as a result of shedding or discharging via skin, hair, mucus, excrement, etc.

eDNA can be a powerful non-invasive method to study the biodiversity of an environment with minimal disruption and destruction to the flora and fauna. For example, collecting water samples from a river environment can potentially identify local organisms such as fish and plants, without having to sample the organism directly.

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      References

      1. Faust, K., & Raes, J. (2012). Microbial interactions: from networks to models. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 10(8), 538–550. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro2832
      2. Illumina. (2021). An Effective Biomonitoring Tool. https://www.illumina.com/techniques/sequencing/dna-sequencing/targeted-resequencing/environmental-dna.html
      3. Pérez-Jaramillo, J. E., Carrión, V. J., de Hollander, M., & Raaijmakers, J. M. (2018). The wild side of plant microbiomes. Microbiome, 6(1), 143. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-018-0519-z
      4. Pilliod, D. S., Goldberg, C. S., Laramie, M. B., & Waits, L. P. (2013). Application of environmental DNA for inventory and monitoring of aquatic species: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2012. https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2012/3146/
      5. Seymour, M. (2019). Rapid progression and future of environmental DNA research. Communications Biology, 2(1), 80. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-019-0330-9
      6. Thomsen, P. F., & Willerslev, E. (2015). Environmental DNA – An emerging tool in conservation for monitoring past and present biodiversity. Biological Conservation, 183, 4–18. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2014.11.019
      7. van Dijk, E. L., Auger, H., Jaszczyszyn, Y., & Thermes, C. (2014). Ten years of next-generation sequencing technology. Trends in Genetics, 30(9), 418–426. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tig.2014.07.001