We tend to assume urine is free of bacteria and other microbes. However, certain conditions can result in higher levels of detectable bacterial pathogens in the urinary system. This type of sample is considered low biomass, and as such is also low in diversity. We encourage you to reach out for assistance for your study if you are interested in working with urine.
Our expertise includes:
- Advanced extraction methods for consideration of particularly robust microbes in the system
- Total bacterial quantification via qPCR to initially assess the amplification of bacteria in each sample
- rRNA gene sequencing to determine, at a high level, the role of various microbes
- Shotgun metagenome sequencing for a higher resolution of both taxonomic and functional outputs
- Bioinformatic reporting with a firm understanding of advanced analysis
Services We Offer
- rRNA Gene Sequencing of 16S and ITS2
- qPCR (quantitative PCR) for total bacterial content
- Shotgun Metagenomic Sequencing
Collection
Urine samples can be collected using any standard sterile urine cup. For stabilization and transport of such samples, we highly recommend incorporating the Norgen Biotek Urine Preservation Solution. This product is available in a single dose ampule as well as a dried format. See instructions below for 1-5ml, 15ml, and 50ml collection protocols (under the resources section).
