CoSMIC: A hybrid approach for large-scale, high-resolution microbial profiling of novel niches.

ABSTRACT: Standard microbial profiling based on 16S rRNA (16S) sequencing suffers from a lack of primer universality, primer biases, and often yields low resolution. We introduce 'Comprehensive Small Ribosomal Subunit Mapping and Identification of Communities' (CoSMIC), addressing these challenges, especially in unexplored niches. CoSMIC begins with long-read sequencing of the full-length 16S gene, amplified by generic Locked Nucleic Acid primers over pooled samples, thus augmenting reference databases with novel niche-specific gene sequences. Subsequently, CoSMIC amplifies multiple non-consecutive variable regions along the gene, followed by short-read sequencing of each sample. Data from the different regions are integrated using the SMURF framework, alleviating primer biases and providing de fact

SUBMITTER: Knafo M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12844514 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature