16S sequencing & Analysis

16S ribosomal RNA (or 16S RNA) is the component of the 30S small subunit of a prokaryotic ribosome that binds to the Shine-Dalgarno sequence.  16S RNA sequencing has been used to characterize the complexity of microbial communities at each body sites, and to determine whether there is a core Microbiome. The 16S RNA sequence contains both highly conserved and variable regions. These variable regions, nine in number (V1 through V9), are routinely used to classify organisms according to phylogeny, making 16S RNA sequencing particularly useful in metagenomics to help identify taxonomic groups present in a sample.