Use Case 3. Metagenomic analysis of soil microbiomes under different agricultural practices
- Environmental DNA is extracted from soil samples
- High-throughput shotgun sequencing provides a view of microbial genomes, enabling taxonomic profiling, functional annotation, and the identification of biosynthetic and resistance genes.
- Training in open-source, reproducible workflows for metagenomic analysis and long-read de novo assembly to interpret data
- This ensures safe long-term storage and potential reuse in future research.
The use case presents a scientific workflow designed for metagenomic analysis of soil microbiomes under different agricultural practices, integrating three distinct scientific services:
1. Metagenomic Analysis at UNITO:
– Environmental DNA is extracted from soil samples.
– High-throughput shotgun sequencing is performed, providing insights into microbial genomes, taxonomic profiles, functional annotations, and the identification of biosynthetic and resistance genes.
2. Support in using bioinformatics metagenomics workflow and Long Read De Novo Assembly at UNITO:
– Researchers receive training in open-source and reproducible bioinformatics workflows, including metagenomic data analysis and long-read de novo genome assembly.
3. Cryopreservation of Soil Samples at CABI:
– Soil samples are cryopreserved, ensuring safe long-term storage and enabling potential reuse in future scientific research.
This case exemplifies how complementary scientific services can be systematically combined to facilitate comprehensive analysis and ensure the long-term value of research data.
