MetaDEGalaxy

MetaDEGalaxy performs differential abundance analysis of microbial communities using 16S rRNA marker gene sequencing data to identify changes in community composition.

Key Features:

• End-to-End Workflow: Processes raw 16S rRNA sequencing data through to differential abundance results.
• Data Compatibility: Supports 454 and Illumina sequencing technologies, accommodates overlapping and non-overlapping paired-end reads, and accepts BIOM files as input.
• Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) Analysis: Produces lists of OTUs exhibiting significant changes across conditions.
• Customizable Analysis Steps and Graphing Options: Provides configurable analysis steps and visualization options for result exploration.
• Metadata Integration: Incorporates complex sample-specific metadata for grouping and coloring in graphical outputs.

Scientific Applications:

• Comparative Metagenomics: Identifies taxa with differential abundance between experimental groups using 16S rRNA data.
• Environmental Microbiology: Detects shifts in microbial community composition across environmental gradients or treatments.
• Biomedical Microbiome Research: Characterizes microbial community changes associated with health or disease states.
• Metadata-Driven Studies: Supports analyses that require integration of complex sample metadata for stratified comparisons.

Methodology:

Implemented within the Galaxy platform, the workflow performs end-to-end processing of 16S rRNA marker gene sequencing data (raw reads or BIOM files), supports 454 and Illumina paired-end (overlapping or non-overlapping) reads, conducts Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) analysis and differential abundance analysis, and integrates sample-specific metadata.