Shotgun metagenomics captures more microbial diversity than targeted 16S rRNA gene sequencing for field specimens and preserved museum specimens.

ABSTRACT: The use of museum specimens for research in microbial evolutionary ecology remains an under-utilized investigative dimension with important potential. Despite this potential, there remain barriers in methodology and analysis to the wide-spread adoption of museum specimens for such studies. Here, we hypothesized that there would be significant differences in taxonomic prediction and related diversity among sample type (museum or fresh) and sequencing strategy (medium-depth shotgun metagenomic or 16S rRNA gene). We found dramatically higher predicted diversity from shotgun metagenomics when compared to 16S rRNA gene sequencing in museum and fresh samples, with this differential being larger in museum specimens. Broadly confirming these hypotheses, the highest diversity found in fresh samples

SUBMITTER: Madison JD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10508626 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature