Microbiome Testing Methodology

Whole metagenomic sequencing can identify bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa down to the strain level. Whole metagenomic sequencing accuracy depends on sequencing depth and proper sample processing. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing is limited because it reads only one to two hypervariable regions of the 16S gene. 16S analysis can produce systematic microbial misidentifications because multiple species share overlapping patterns in the regions it reads.