Microbiome Sequencing Service CapitalBiotech

Microorganisms exist in the human body, plants, soil, oceans, and other environments. The collection of all microorganism species and their genetic information and function is named the microbiome. At present, microbiome sequencing services have been widely applied in medical research, agricultural breeding, food processing, environmental treatment, and other fields. In medical research, the microbiome is referred to as the “Second Genome of the Human Body.” Especially, intestinal microflora plays a greatly important role in maintaining and executing the physiological functions of the host, and is closely linked to human health, and has become a research hotspot in recent years. Microbiome sequencing companies provide essential tools and technologies for these studies. Microbiome sequencing enables researchers to explore the complex interactions within microbial communities and their impact on various environments and hosts.

Microbiome Sequencing Service Types

The emergence of high-throughput microbiome sequencing technology has enabled us to conduct global research on microbiome in specific environments without the need to isolate and cultivate individual microorganisms. Technologies such as 16S rDNA segment sequencing, 16S rDNA full-length sequencing, and metagenomic sequencing can perform parallel sequencing of multiple samples, analyzing microbial species composition, population structure, evolutionary relationships, functional genomes, and differentially expressed genes, etc.

CapitalBio, as a professional microbiome sequencing service company, has advantages of:

Platform advantages: we have the Illumina Novaseq and HiSeq2500 sequencing platforms, ensuring high-quality sequencing data and cost-effectiveness.
Comprehensive coverage: allowing for 16S rDNA segment sequencing, 16S rDNA full-length sequencing, and metagenomic sequencing to facilitate overall experimental design and data integration.
Wide Application: widely research strategies for different microbiomes can be flexibly applied to meet various research needs.

16s/18s/ITS

16S/18S/ITS amplicon sequencing refers to the use of suitable universal primers to amplify the 16S rDNA/18S rDNA/ITS hypervariable regions or functional genes of microorganisms.

Shotgun Metagenomics Sequencing

Metagenomics takes the entire microbial community in a specific environment as the research object. Without isolation and culture, it directly extracts DNA from the sample for sequencing.

Microbiome Sequencing Application

Medicine: The relationship between the composition and function of microflora and diseases (such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, microbial medicine (intestinal tract, stomach, all cavities)
Agriculture: Different microflora structures affect plant growth, plant pathogenic bacteria, microbial control (soill, root system, endomycorrhiza)
Animal Husbandry: The difference in microorganism species and function (rumen, intestinal tract) under different nutrition condition or immunity levels
Environmental Treatment: Micro-ecological changes (waste water, sludge) during environmental treatment
lndustry: Microflora ad function changes(distiller's grains, yogurt, cultured microorganisms) during fermentation
Biollogical Energy: Microorganism composition and function (activated sludge, marine microorganism) in renewable biological resources

Application Cases:

Healthspan and lifespan extension by fecal microbiota transplantation into progeroid mice

Metagenomic and metabolomic analyses reveal distinct stage-specific phenotypes of the gut microbiota in colorectal cancer

Meta-omics analysis of elite athletes identifies a performance-enhancing microbe that functions via lactate metabolism

Difference Between 16S/18S/ITS And Shotgun Metagenomics Sequencing

Targeted vs. Comprehensive Analysis: The 16S (for bacteria) and 18S (for eukaryotes) rRNA gene sequencing, along with ITS (Internal Transcribed Spacer) sequencing, are targeted approaches that focus on specific regions of the genome to identify and classify microorganisms. In contrast, Shotgun Metagenomics Sequencing provides a comprehensive analysis, sequencing all the DNA present in a sample, which allows for the identification of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms without prior knowledge of their presence.
Resolution and Diversity: 16S, 18S, and ITS sequencing can accurately classify microorganisms at the genus or species level, depending on the microbial community’s complexity and the targeted region’s variability. Shotgun Metagenomics Sequencing, however, can potentially offer higher resolution down to the strain level and uncover a broader diversity of microorganisms, including those not detectable by targeted methods.
Functional Insights: While 16S, 18S, and ITS sequencing are excellent for identifying which microorganisms are present, Shotgun Metagenomics Sequencing goes a step further by providing insights into the functional potential of the microbial community. This means it can reveal what genes are present and infer the metabolic pathways and resistance genes, offering a deeper understanding of microbial functions and interactions.
Data Complexity and Analysis: Shotgun Metagenomics Sequencing generates a vast amount of data, covering the entire genomic content of a sample, which requires more substantial computational resources and more complex bioinformatics analyses compared to the targeted sequencing of 16S, 18S, and ITS. This means that while Shotgun Metagenomics offers a more detailed view, it also demands more in terms of data handling and interpretation.
Application-Specific Suitability: The choice between these methods depends on the study’s goals. For studies focused on microbial identification and diversity, 16S, 18S, and ITS sequencing might suffice. However, for comprehensive analysis that requires understanding the functional capabilities of a microbial community, Shotgun Sequencing Metagenomics is more appropriate.