Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41733350›Full record

ArticleApplied and environmental microbiology2026

Quantitative metagenomics using a portable protocol.

Kaiqin Bian, Andrea Busch, John Norton, Charles Bott, Raul Gonzalez, Kyle Curtis, Dienye Tolofari, Wendell Khunjar, Katherine E Graham, Ameet J Pinto

Abstract readEvaluation Study
In one paragraph

Article in Applied and environmental microbiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Kaiqin BianSchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-5682-3167
Andrea BuschGreat Lakes Water Authority, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
John NortonGreat Lakes Water Authority, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Charles BottHampton Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA.
Raul GonzalezHampton Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA.
Kyle CurtisHampton Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-1308-0156
Dienye TolofariGreat Lakes Water Authority, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Wendell KhunjarHazen and Sawyer, Fairfax, Virginia, USA.
Katherine E GrahamSchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Ameet J PintoSchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-1089-5664

Funding

U.S. Department of Energy DE-EE0009270Water Research Foundation 5100
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

A field-deployable DNA sequencing approach for quantitative microbial community profiling can enable rapid responses for a range of applications in the water sector-from process control to wastewater surveillance. Current quantitative approaches require complex instrumentation and have long turnaround times for DNA recovery and absolute quantitation. In this study, we report a field-deployable rapid detection and rapid absolute quantitation (rD+rQ) workflow that leverages real-time Nanopore sequencing for quantitative metagenomics. This workflow integrates a high-molecular-weight DNA recovery protocol for diverse environmental matrices of relevance to the water sector, and multiplexed Nanopore sequencing with barcoded spike-in-based calibration (BSINC). BSINC using multispecies genomic spike-in controls exhibits significantly higher calibration accuracy compared to conventional approaches that utilize either a single DNA fragment or single organism spike-in controls. Dynamic detection and quantitation limits were established based on the coverage fraction of sequenced genomes and the coefficient of variation of genome copy numbers across replicates to enhance the accuracy and precision of microbial quantitation. The rD+rQ workflow achieves species-level identification and absolute quantitative results comparable to digital PCR in environmental samples. This portable laboratory and easy-to-use rD+rQ workflow should facilitate rapid decision-making for the water industry.IMPORTANCERapid and real-time monitoring of microbial communities is critical for a vast array of applications in environmental microbiology and biotechnology. While recent developments in portable sequencing technologies and associated workflows make onsite analysis possible, these approaches do not provide quantitative data on microbial concentrations. In this study, we present a sample and data processing workflow that enables nontargeted and quantitative microbial community profiling and demonstrate its validity on complex environmental samples. This approach for acquiring quantitative data can drive rapid decision-making from bioprocess control to wastewater-based epidemiology.

Indexed as

MetagenomicsMicrobiotaWastewaterBacteriaDNADNA Barcoding, TaxonomicFungiNanopore SequencingRNA, Ribosomal, 16SRNA, Ribosomal, 18SWorkflowDNARNA, Ribosomal, 16SRNA, Ribosomal, 18SWastewaterabsolute quantitationinternal standardslimit of quantitationNanopore sequencingportable laboratorytaxonomic identification

Identifiers

PMID41733350
PMCPMC12997851

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.