What gene do we target when investigating the microbiome using next generation sequencing?

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Question restated: What gene do we target when investigating the microbiome using next generation sequencing?

Option 1: 16S rRNA gene. This gene is highly conserved across bacteria but contains hypervariable regions that allow for distinguishing between different bacterial taxa, making it ideal for profiling microbiomes through amplicon sequencing. It is the standard target for bacterial community surveys with next-generation sequencing.

Option 2: RNase. RNase is an enzyme that degrades RNA, not a gene used for identifying microbial taxa in microbiome studies. Targeting RNase would not provide taxonomic information about community composition.

Option 3: Beta-actin. Beta-actin is a housekeeping gene commonly used as a control in gene expression assays within a single organism, not a marker for characterizing mixed microbial communities. It does not inform on microbiome composition across diverse bacteria.

Option 4: lacZ operon. The lacZ operon is a bacterial gene cluster used historically in molecular biology as a reporter system; while informative for studying metabolism in specific bacteria, it is not a universal marker for profiling complex microbiomes across many species.

Option 5: DNA polymerase. DNA polymerase enzymes are essential for DNA replication and are not used as a taxonomic marker to characterize microbiomes. They do not provide the diversity or specificity needed for community profiling.

Summary: Among the options, the 16S rRNA gene is the appropriate and widely used target for microbiome investigations using next-generation sequencing, because it enables broad detection across bacteria while also allowing taxonomic resolution through its variable regions. The other options either serve non-taxonomic roles or lack the universality and discriminatory power needed for microbiome profiling.

AGRI20044_2025_SM1 Exam: Microbiology in Agriculture (AGRI20044_2025_SM1)- Requires Respondus LockDown Browser

What gene do we target when investigating the microbiome using next generation sequencing?

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