Obtain genome-resolved metagenomes, link AMR genes to microbes, connect phages to their hosts, and reconstruct metabolic pathways
Microbes are integral to the health of humans, animals, plants and their environments. Our blueprints are incomplete without the intricate details of these complex and dynamic communities.
The analysis of metagenomic samples is challenging in many ways. Samples are typically limited and of variable quality. Many microbes are unculturable. Experimental and computational methods and analysis pipelines introduce bias. Because targeted and shotgun sequencing data lacks linkage information, data analysis relies on assumptions and algorithms instead of empirical evidence.
Our proximity ligation (Hi-C) chemistry and proprietary computational tools provide direct and quantitative measurements of DNA sequences that interact in vivo. This does not only greatly improve the quality and reliability of assembled genomes from metagenomic samples, but also allows for accurate attribution of plasmids, phages, antibiotic resistance genes and other mobile genetic elements to host cells. This can all be accomplished directly from crude samples, without the need for culturing or the extraction of high-molecular weight DNA.
