Whether you are to carry out metagenomics research and monitor disease outbreaks, the new next-generation sequencing (NGS) methods can help you get the key genetic information of bacteria and viruses, which is faster and efficient than you think.

Industry leading reagents and software allow you to seamlessly convert the sequencing process easily from sample preparation to the biological interpretation of the data. The followings are some introductions of several commonly used methods of microbial sequencing:

16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing is a commonly used PCR sequencing method for identifying and comparing the presence of bacteria in a specific sample. As a mature method, 16S rRNA gene sequencing is suitable for the study of system development and classification in complex microbial groups or environmental samples, and these studies were difficult or impossible to carry out before. The data from the 16S study can improve the sensitivity and specificity of the classification designation, making it down to the level of the species.

Shotgun metagenomic study is a comprehensive sampling method for specific complex samples in all living organisms and all genes analyzed. This approach allows researchers to assess bacterial diversity and species abundance in natural environments and under different conditions. Shotgun metagenomic study also lets those microbial researches which can not be cultured in the laboratory or are difficult to study can be achieved.

The transcription group is a set of RNA encoded by the genome of the organism. The macro transcription group contains all the RNA encoded by a group of organisms in a complex sample. For microorganisms, understanding the dynamics of gene expression is critical to the quantitative transcript level, because the organisms make response to changes in the environment or host conditions. Microbial transcription and macro transcription groups are important for predicting drug resistance to specific antibiotics, understanding the interaction between host and pathogen, and tracking the development of the disease.

Microbial whole genome sequencing is an important tool for mapping the genome of novel organisms, completing the genome of known organisms or comparing multiple samples. Sequencing the whole genome is very important for the generation of accurate reference genomes. It is suitable for microbial identification and other comparative genomic studies.