OTU / ASV
Definition
Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) and Amplicon Sequence Variant (ASV) are the units of microbial diversity in 16S data. OTUs cluster reads at 97% sequence similarity; ASVs resolve single-nucleotide differences and are increasingly preferred for forensic work due to finer resolution.
Related terms
- 16S rRNA gene
- The gene encoding the 16S ribosomal RNA subunit present in all bacteria and archaea. Conserved regions allow universal amplification; hypervariable regions (V1-V9)...
- Amplicon sequencing
- A sequencing approach where a specific locus (here the 16S hypervariable region) is amplified from all members of a microbial community and...
- Community state type (CST)
- A classification of vaginal microbiome profiles into distinct clusters. Most CSTs are dominated by a single Lactobacillus species; one CST (often called...
- Microbiome
- The total community of microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, fungi, viruses) inhabiting a body site, along with their collective genetic material. Each body site...
- Shotgun metagenomics
- Sequencing all DNA in a sample rather than just the 16S amplicon. Provides taxonomic resolution beyond 16S and can characterise viruses and...
Explained in
- Microbiome-Based Body Fluid IdentificationOperational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) and Amplicon Sequence Variant (ASV) are the units of microbial diversity in 16S data. OTUs cluster reads at 97% sequence simil...