Metagenomic Studies and Analyses

TECNALIA carries out the study and characterisation of the microbial population (microbiota) present in different habitats, including the body (intestinal, oral, vaginal), the environment (arable land), food products (preserves, packaging) and oenology (cooperage), among others.

For this purpose, TECNALIA uses state-of-the-art sequencing systems (16S microbial gene sequencing, Shallow shotgun sequencing, Shotgun sequencing (coming soon)) and bioinformatics analysis

TECNALIA currently offers different approaches. First, microbial 16S gene sequencing, both of the complete gene and of the V3 and V4 hypervariable regions.

Based on average coverages of approximately 100,000 reads per sample, this type of test allows characterisation of microbiota present in a sample, and taxonomic and phylogenetic classification of the species identified. Another possibility is the Shotgun analysis, which allows a higher taxonomic (species) resolution compared to 16S gene analysis, as well as a better estimation of the microbial diversity present in the sample analysed.

This service also includes the possibility of performing specific bioinformatics analyses from FASTQ files obtained, identification and quantification of unique gene sequences, taxonomic assignment and phylogenetic trees.