title: Effects of PCR cycle number and DNA polymerase type on the 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing analysis of bacterial communities.
abstract: The effects of PCR cycle number and DNA polymerase type on 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing analysis were investigated using an artificially prepared bacterial community (mock community). The bacterial richness was overestimated at increased PCR cycle number mostly due to the occurence of chimeric sequences, and this was more serious with a DNA polymerase having proofreading activity than with Taq DNA polymerase. These results suggest that PCR cycle number must be kept as low as possible for accurate estimation of bacterial richness and that particular care must be taken when a DNA polymerase having proofreading activity is used.
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Microbiology Division, National Academy of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Suwon 441-707, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Hyung
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Byung-Yong
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jaekyeong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Hang-Yeon
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Weon
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing / Q000379:methods; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics*; D019914:Taq Polymerase
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D019914:Taq Polymerase