The effects of freezing and thawing on the stability of microbiome composition in human fecal samples.
All samples are stools of adults (20 to 50 years old). The sample from the same individual (tagged "Axy" in "Sample name") was analysed at multiple timepoints (identifiable by tag "Cycle X" in "Sample name"). Cycle 0 is a never-frozen measurement; i.e., analysis of stools within 12 hours of defecation, and never frozen. The remaining cycles (1 to 6) were measured after the samples were thawed from their storage at -80 degrees Celsius. These freeze-thaw and measurements were performed once a week.