Reference methods you can inspect and cite.
A methods library for microbiome projects — described at a level intended to support reproducibility, method review and research collaboration. Availability is confirmed during scoping.
Methods library
Methods, outputs and limits
Glossary
Key microbiome terms
| ASV | Amplicon Sequence Variant — an exact sequence used as a high-resolution feature unit. |
|---|---|
| OTU | Operational Taxonomic Unit — clustered sequences; historically used before ASVs. |
| Taxonomy | Assignment of features to microbial groups against a reference database. |
| Alpha diversity | Diversity within a single sample (richness/evenness). |
| Beta diversity | Differences in community composition between samples. |
| Differential abundance | Features that differ between groups, with statistical caveats. |
| Functional potential | Genomic capacity inferred from DNA — capability, not activity. |
| Expression context | Activity signals inferred from RNA where quality supports it. |
| Reference database | The curated catalogue features are matched against. |
| Confidence / QC | Quality cues shown so results are read with appropriate certainty. |
FAQ
Method questions
Which method fits my project?
It depends on your question, sample type and design. We compare method fit during scoping rather than defaulting to the most complex option.
Can you annotate function?
Functional-potential annotation is available for shotgun metagenomics where appropriate; expression context requires metatranscriptomics and sufficient RNA quality — confirmed during scoping.
Are these clinically validated?
These are method/workflow-level reference methods for research-use and educational outputs, not clinical diagnostics, unless a separately approved pathway exists.
Methods and services
Choose the right method for your project
We compare method fit during scoping — sample type, question and design — rather than defaulting to the most complex option.