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NEXT-GENERATION SEQUENCING

Microbiomes and metagenomics

Microbiome research helps us better understand how our lives and environments are affected by bacteria, fungi, archaea and viruses. In the past, microbiome research was limited to our ability to culture microbes for characterizing our microbial world. With next-generation sequencing (NGS), we are able to gain a deeper understanding of the microbes that live in, on and around us. Whole-genome sequencing and 16S/ITS sequencing can provide new insights into human health and diseases and can help develop novel diagnostics and therapies.
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Whole metagenomics or 16S sequencing?
When planning your metagenomics experiment, how do you decide between 16S/ITS or whole genome sequencing? Which is the best method for you? Read our tips and tricks to find out.
Webinar: Shedding light on microbial communities using novel NGS solutions
Both 16S/ITS and microbial whole-genome metagenomics are well suited for microbiome analysis, but the two technologies offer different advantages. Learn about these technologies and get performance data for QIAseq solutions so you can choose which is best for your metagenomics workflow.
webinar image Dylan Barbera Novel NGS Tools for human microbial profiling
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Six questions on taxonomic profiling
We provide the answers to six frequently asked questions from our taxonomic profiling webinar on microbial community profiling and metagenomics to help you choose the right tools for your research.
Not sure where to start?
Reach out to a genomics application scientist.
Developing consistent and accurate metagenomics-based microbiome profiling
Dr. Dieter Tourlousse, from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan, describes a benchmark study to establish standard operating procedures using the QIAseq FX DNA Library Kit for metagenomics-based microbiome analysis of human fecal samples.
image for on demand webinar Standarize microbial profiling
How does enzymatic fragmentation work?
DNA must be fragmented during whole genome sequencing library preparation. What is the difference between enzymatic fragmentation, mechanical fragmentation and tagmentation? Learn about the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Why choose QIAseq FX for whole genome metagenomics?
Learn more about this all-enzymatic, easy-to-automate 2.5-hour workflow.
16S rRNA/ITS gene sequencing

Benefits of QIAseq 16S/ITS technology

  • "Phased primers" increase base diversity and read quality.
  • Low-bioburden reagents minimize background contamination.
  • DNA input as low as 1 pg can be used to profile low-biomass samples.
  • Interrogate only your regions of interest by choosing to profile all 16S/ITS regions or design panels.
Female scientist watching an instrument
Automated or manual library prep?
If your lab is processing hundreds or thousands of samples, manual library prep can slow down your insights and complicate results with manual handling errors and batch-to-batch inconsistency. Learn how automation can accelerate your research.
Streamlining metagenomic studies with automation
Dr. Fan Li and Sara Zabih from the Aldrovandi Lab at UCLA discuss automation of high-throughput library preparation of Illumina-compatible shotgun metagenomics sequencing libraries using the QIAseq FX DNA Library Kit.