A comparative analysis of microbiome preparation methods in corals

The goal of this study is to contribute towards the standardization of preparation methods for the study of the coral microbiome. This study evaluates the structure and composition of microbial databases generated from corals preserved in three distinct preservation methods and homogenised with two different methodologies. The microbiome is evaluated using 16s rRNA amplicon and Illumina MiSeq sequencing. Preservation methods used: salt saturated dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) – EDTA, snap freezing with liquid nitrogen and 4% paraformaldehyde solution. Homogenization methodologies: bead beating and crushing. Coral species: Goniastrea edwardsi and Isopora palifera.