16s rRNA is a component of the prokaryotic ribosome 30S subunit.  16S rRNA gene sequencing is commonly used for identification, classification and quantitation of microbes within complex biological mixtures.

Amplicon sequencing is a highly targeted approach that enables researchers to analyze genetic variation in specific genomic regions for variant identification and characterization.

Bioanalyzer is a chip-based capillary electrophoresis machine to analyse RNA, DNA, and protein used at the LGF for sample quality control.

Demultiplexing refers to the step in next-gen DNA sequence data processing where you'd use the index seqeunce information in order to know which sequences came from which samples after they had all be sequenced together.

DNA extraction is the technique used to isolate DNA or RNA for a biological sample.

A flow cell is the reaction vessel where libraries are sequenced.  Each type of flow cell has a characteristic capacity for the number and length of sequence fragments it can sequence.

1 billion (10^9) nucleotides base pairs (bp). The output of next-generation sequencing methods can be measured in the Gb of DNA.

A genome is the complete set of genetic information in an organism.  Genomics is the analysis of genomes by predicting and/or annotating the genes and gene functions present in a genome, analyzing the evolutionary relationship between genomes, and predicting how genes will interact with each other and their organisms’s environment.

The addition of a short, unique DNA sequence identifier, or index sequence, to DNA samples during library preparation that allows multiple libraries to be pooled and sequenced together.

The internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) region of the rRNA cistron in fungal genomics that is a commonly used DNA marker for identification of fungal species in metagenomic samples.

1 thousand (10^3) nucleotides base pairs (bp). Individual genes can be measured in the Kb of DNA.

A NGS library is a collection of similarly sized DNA fragments, corresponding to a sample of DNA, with known adapter sequences added to the 5' and 3' ends.  Prepared libraries sequenced using a flow cell.

1 million (10^6) nucleotides base pairs (bp). Genomes are generally measured in the Mb of DNA.

Metagenomics enables the study of all microorganisms, regardless of whether they can be cultured or not, through the analysis of genomic data obtained directly from an environmental or biomedical sample, providing knowledge of the species present.

The NanoDrop is laboratory spectrophotometer used to measure the absorbance and calculate the concentration and quality of nucleic acids from very small volumes.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is a massively parallel sequencing technology that offers ultra-high throughput, scalability, and speed.

The Qubit fluorometer is a lab instrument that is used for the quantification of DNA, RNA using a fluorescent dye and is used at the LGF for sample quality control.

DNA sequencing is a laboratory technique used to determine the exact sequence of bases (A, C, G, and T) in a DNA molecule.

Transcriptomics is the study of the transcriptome—the complete set of RNA transcripts that are produced by the genome, under specific circumstances or in a specific cell—using high-throughput methods.

The 16S rRNA gene is approximately 1600 base pairs long and includes nine hypervariable regions of varying conservation.  These variable regions are often used as an indicator for the presence of specific bacterial species or taxa present in a metagenomics sample.