This may reflect my misunderstanding of taxonomy-dependent and independent methods more than anything, but here is a question I have. If I have sequencing data from an environment that is well-characterized (i.e. well-represented in databases like RDP, Greengenes, SILVA, etc.) then TD classification methods are appropriate, correct? However, if the sequences are not well-represented, then some or all of the data would be analyzed using TI methods. So why is it appropriate (or inappropriate) to then turn around and assign taxonomic labels to OTUs, even if based on a "representative sequence"?
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NGS has revolutionized clinical microbiology by offering new ways to identify and surveil pathogens without prior knowledge of the target. One popular approach is 16S rRNA and ITS amplicon sequencing, which targets specific microbial markers. But studies are increasingly incorporating shotgun metagenomics, a technique that sequences all DNA from a sample without targeting specific microbial markers. This approach allows more detailed taxonomic classification, detection...Yesterday, 06:46 AM -
Tumors contain complex mixtures of cell populations that evolve in response to treatment and host-specific factors. Tissue biopsies provide only static snapshots of a tumor’s state. But what if we could follow that evolution over time using a minimally invasive technique?
Liquid biopsies can detect tumor-derived material circulating in the bloodstream, providing a way to study treatment response, detect emerging resistance, and discover new biomarkers. Circulating...10-14-2026, 09:55 AM