Integrative analysis across metagenomic taxonomic classifiers: A case study of the gut microbiome in aging and longevity in the Integrative Longevity Omics Study.

ABSTRACT: There are various well-validated taxonomic classifiers for profiling shotgun metagenomics data, with two popular methods, MetaPhlAn (marker-gene-based) and Kraken (k-mer-based), at the forefront of many studies. Despite differences between classification approaches and calls for the development of consensus methods, most analyses of shotgun metagenomics data for microbiome studies use a single taxonomic classifier. In this study, we compare inferences from two broadly used classifiers, MetaPhlAn4 and Kraken2, applied to stool metagenomic samples from participants in the Integrative Longevity Omics study to measure associations of taxonomic diversity and relative abundance with age, replicating analyses in an independent cohort. We also introduce consensus and meta-analytic approaches to co

SUBMITTER: Karagiannis TT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12810900 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature