Comparing mcrA and V4 16S rRNA sequencing in methanogenic archaea
Methanogenic archaea have been increasingly investigated concerning their impact on the environment, role in human health, and technological applications, including the industrial production of biofuel methane as a part of a sustainable energy economy.High-throughput DNA sequencing of the functional mcrA gene is the ideal tool for assessing methanogenic archaea diversity in environmental, biotechnological, and clinical samples. Compared to the 16S rRNA gene, the mcrA gene is specific to methanogenic archaea and provides higher resolution in the phylogeny analysis of methanogens.