Master the Oral Microbiome

A study is only as good as its controls, and this is especially true for microbiome research. With so many potential sources of bias, it is important to use controls that can address all of these challenges, and more. The ZymoBIOMICS^® Microbial Community Standard contains 8 bacteria and 2 yeast, representing a wide range of genome sizes, G/C content, and lysis difficulties, making it the ideal positive extraction control, as well as an invaluable tool for workflow validation. The ZymoBIOMICS^® Oral Microbiome Standard goes a step further by providing 10 commensal and pathogenic bacterial strains common to the human oral cavity, allowing for benchmarking of pathogen detection/identification and species-level taxonomic resolution. Finally, the ZymoBIOMICS^® Spike-In Control II (Low Microbial Load) offers a tool for recovery assessment and extraction performance, as well as absolute quantification, in the form of three bacterial strains that are completely alien to the human microbiome.

Collecting samples, whether they be buccal swabs or sputum, can be logistically challenging, especially in large-scale studies that require at-home sampling. Proper collection and preservation methods are crucial to maintain the quality of the sample during transportation and storage. DNA/RNA Shield^™ addresses these issues by preserving the integrity of both the nucleic acid and microbial profile, at ambient temperature, while inactivating any potential pathogens.

For added convenience, DNA/RNA Shield^™ is provided in a variety of pre-filled collection devices. The DNA/RNA Shield^™ SafeCollect Swab Collection Kit couples a prefilled, DNA/RNA Shield™ collection tube containing a leak-free safety seal, with a flocked nylon swab to ensure maximal recovery, while the DNA/RNA Shield^™ SafeCollect Saliva Collection Kit pairs the same spill-proof design with a convenient funnel mouthpiece for mess-free collection.

Make certain that you aren’t missing anything, by using the only extraction kits validated for unbiased lysis against our ZymoBIOMICS^® microbial standards. The ZymoBIOMICS^® DNA Microprep Kit utilizes BashingBead^™ technology to ensure complete recovery of Gram-positive and -negative bacteria, archaea, and yeast, along with certified low bioburden reagents to reduce the presence of “kit-ome”. Alternatively, the HostZERO^™ Microbial DNA Kit offers the same ZymoBIOMICS^® extraction technology, coupled with a host depletion module, in order to prevent host DNA contamination from wasting sequencing reads. Looking to automate? The ZymoBIOMICS^® 96 MagBead DNA Kit offers all of the same features as our manual ZymoBIOMICS^® extract kits, in an automation-ready format.

Tired of lengthy library prep protocols that require tedious normalization of each sample? Looking to avoid complicated workflows or turn around high sample volumes in a short amount of time? The Quick-16S^™ Plus NGS Library Prep Kit and Quick-ITS^™ Plus NGS Library Prep Kit utilize novel Equalase^™ technology to amplify sample inputs as little as 100 femtograms without the need for manual normalization; simply pool by equal volume and go. This, combined with pre-aliquoted qPCR Premix Plates, and only a single amplification and clean-up required, reduces hands-on times to as little as 30 minutes to prepare 96 sequencing-ready libraries. These kits offer coverage for a variety of target regions, with the Quick-16S^™ Plus NGS Library Prep Kit (V1-V3) being the most popular for oral microbiome applications, due to the V1-V3 region’s enhanced coverage of bacteria native to these sample types.

Looking to simplify the complexities of microbiome data analysis while gaining access to the most comprehensive resources available? The MGscan^™ Bioinformatics Analysis Suite offers an end-to-end solution for processing, analyzing, and visualizing NGS microbiome data, delivering rapid, publication-ready insights without the need for custom coding or extensive computational expertise. Pair this with the Orion Microbiome™ Database, a platform designed to eliminate common bottlenecks in microbiome research by compiling a large collection of curated public microbiome data and research cohorts. For those seeking a complete sequencing solution, Zymo Research's Microbiome Sequencing Services provide streamlined, sample-to-report workflows, combining industry-leading library prep methods, robust quality controls, and powerful downstream analysis for both 16S and shotgun metagenomics. Together, these resources empower scientists to focus on making new discoveries rather than problem solving.