The allometry of cellular DNA and ribosomal gene content among microbes and its use for the assessment of microbiome community structure

Abstract Background The determination of taxon-specific composition microbiomes by combining high-throughput sequencing ribosomal genes with phyloinformatic analyses has become routine in microbiology and allied sciences. Systematic biases to this approach based on the demonstrable variability operon copy number per genome were recognized early. more recent realization that polyploidy is probably norm, rather than exception, among microbes from all domains life, points an even larger source bias. Results We found 16S or 18S RNA cell, a combined result gene loci ploidy level, follows allometric power law cell volume exponent 2/3 across 6 orders magnitude small subunit 9 size. This stands contrast DNA content, which ¾. Conclusion In practical terms, relationship allows for single, simple correction variations both level taxa-specific abundance. biological it uniqueness content microbial properties scale