Shallow shotgun sequencing of the microbiome recapitulates 16S amplicon results and provides functional insights.
Abstract: Prevailing 16S rRNA gene-amplicon methods for characterizing the bacterial microbiome of wildlife are economical, but result in coarse taxonomic classifications, are subject to primer and 16S copy number biases, and do not allow for direct estimation of microbiome functional potential. While deep shotgun metagenomic sequencing can overcome many of these limitations, it is prohibitively expensive for large sample sets. Here we evaluated the ability of shallow shotgun metagenomic sequencing to characterize taxonomic and functional patterns in the faecal microbiome of a model population of feral horses (Sable Island, Canada). Since 2007, this unmanaged population has been the subject of an individual-based, long-term ecological study. Using deep shotgun metagenomic sequencing, we determined the sequencing depth required to accurately characterize the horse microbiome. In comparing conventional vs. high-throughput shotgun metagenomic library preparation techniques, we validate the use of more cost-effective laboratory methods. Finally, we characterize similarities between 16S amplicon and shallow shotgun characterization of the microbiome, and demonstrate that the latter recapitulates biological patterns first described in a published amplicon data set. Unlike for amplicon data, we further demonstrate how shallow shotgun metagenomic data provide useful insights regarding microbiome functional potential which support previously hypothesized diet effects in this study system.
© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Publication Date: 2022-09-26 PubMed ID: 36112078DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13713Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research explores the benefits and efficiency of shallow shotgun metagenomic sequencing for assessing both the taxonomic and functional aspects of the microbiome in wildlife, with feral horses from Sable Island, Canada, serving as the study model. The study shows that this method can provide accurate characterizations that mirror those of 16S amplicon, while also offering valuable insights into microbiome functional potential through affordable lab techniques.
Research Methodology and Objectives
- The researchers aim to test the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of shallow shotgun metagenomic sequencing in characterizing taxonomic and functional patterns in the faecal microbiome of feral horses.
- The study uses a population of feral horses on Sable Island, Canada, as the study model. These horses have been part of an individual-based, long-term ecological study since 2007.
- By comparing conventional versus high-throughput shotgun metagenomic library preparation techniques, the researchers intend to validate the use of more affordable laboratory methods.
Study Findings
- The study finds that shallow shotgun metagenomic sequencing can accurately characterize the horse microbiome. It also identifies the adequate sequencing depth required to achieve this characterization.
- The cost-effective laboratory methods used in this study were proven to effectively characterize the microbiome, positioning this technique as beneficial for large sample sets for which deep shotgun metagenomic sequencing may be too costly.
- The research discovers that the shallow shotgun characterization of the microbiome, similar to 16S amplicon, can significantly recapitulate biological patterns. This finding validates the comparability between these two methods.
- One distinctive advantage of shallow shotgun metagenomic sequencing, as demonstrated by this study, is its ability to provide insights regarding the microbiome’s functional potential. Such information was found to verify previously hypothesized diet effects on the studied population.
Implications of the Study
- This research adds to the current understanding of microbiome profiling techniques, suggesting that shallow shotgun metagenomic sequencing could be a viable, cost-efficient alternative for large sample sets.
- The study exposes a new means of getting broader taxonomic and functional coverage of the microbiome through affordable laboratory methods.
- The resultant insights into functional microbiome potential could pave the way for new research directions and applications in ecological studies.
Cite This Article
APA
Stothart MR, McLoughlin PD, Poissant J.
(2022).
Shallow shotgun sequencing of the microbiome recapitulates 16S amplicon results and provides functional insights.
Mol Ecol Resour, 23(3), 549-564.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.13713 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horses / genetics
- RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
- High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing / methods
- Microbiota / genetics
- Metagenome
- Bacteria
- Metagenomics / methods
Grant Funding
- D20EQ-051 / Morris Animal Foundation
- 2016-06459 / Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
- 2019-04388 / Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
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