Four samples of Sargassum wightii were selected, comprising endophytes and epiphytes from both mature and young plants. The given samples were sequenced using NOVASEQ with a read length of 151 bp. The sample  was taken for whole genome metagenome analysis. Further, de novo assembly was carried out  using the pre-processed reads to obtain the scaffolds. These scaffolds were then used for gene  prediction.  The abundances at the phylum, genus and species level are given. The abundances in terms of  SEED annotations are also charecterised.
The present study reports metagenomic sequencing and microbial diversity analysis of the species Sargassum wighti. The study was carried out in rocky shores located at Kovalam beach Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 8.36644 ON:76.976122O E. Samples were washed and cleaned with natural seawater. All the organisms adhered to the surface of the sample were carefully removed through gentle scraping and rinsing. Healthy thallus preferably with whole branches were selected in the field, wrapped in moistened towels and bought in a cool icebox to the laboratory. From the laboratory Surface sterilization was performed using autoclaved seawater, followed by gently scraping the surface with a sterile scalpel blade. The scraped samples contain all the epiphytic microorganisms associated with the sample. Approximately Ten grams of each S. wightii sample were placed into small vials, securely sealed, and sent for sequencing. 16S rRNA gene-based high-throughput sequencing revealed distinct and diverse microbial communities in the analyzed sample. The taxonomic approaches applied and the results showed a high abundance of Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Oocmycota in the case of Endophytes. As well as in Epiphytes, Cyanobacteria shared major abundance followed by Proteobacteria, ciliophora and Bacillariophyta in the metagenome retrived from Sargassum sample. Unclassified bacteria also contributed a significant portion of the metagenome. It has been reported that members of the class Proteobacteria are the most abundant group of bacteria sediments and are known to harbor a diverse group of metabolic enzymes. Most Sargassum-associated bacteria belong to the phylum Proteobacteria, which is the dominant organism on brown algal tissue. However, the abundance of Cyanobacteria in the epiphytes was significantly higher than that in the endophytic bacteria. Actinobacteria and Bacillariophyta are present in minimal amounts in both endophytes and epiphytes. At the genus level, Ectocarpus was the most dominant among the epiphytes, followed by Acaryochloris, Chondrus, and Paramecium. In the endophytes of young Sargassum wightii, Ectocarpus also emerged as the predominant genus. In contrast, endophytes from the mature plant showed a higher abundance of unclassified bacteria. In mature plants of Sargassum wightii, Acidomicrobiales were the predominant endophytic species, followed by Ectocarpus and Acaryochloris. In young plants, Ectocarpus and Acidomicrobiales were the most abundant species. Among the epiphytes, Ectocarpus, Acaryochloris, and Pseudocohnilembus exhibited similar levels of dominance.