A communal catalogue reveals Earth’s multiscale microbial diversity
Authors: Thompson Luke R. , Sanders Jon G. , McDonald Daniel , Amir Amnon , Ladau Joshua , Locey Kenneth J. , Prill Robert J. , Tripathi Anupriya , Gibbons Sean M. , Ackermann Gail , Navas-Molina Jose A. , Janssen Stefan , Kopylova Evguenia , Vázquez-Baeza Yoshiki , González Antonio , Morton James T. , Mirarab Siavash , Zech Xu Zhenjiang , Jiang Lingjing , Haroon Mohamed F. , Kanbar Jad , Zhu Qiyun , Jin Song Se , Kosciolek Tomasz , Bokulich Nicholas A. , Lefler Joshua , Brislawn Colin J. , Humphrey Gregory , Owens Sarah M. , Hampton-Marcell Jarrad , Berg-Lyons Donna , McKenzie Valerie , Fierer Noah , Fuhrman Jed A. , Clauset Aaron , Stevens Rick L. , Shade Ashley , Pollard Katherine S. , Goodwin Kelly D. , Jansson Janet K. , Gilbert Jack A. , Knight Rob ,   The Earth Microbiome Project Consortium, Rivera Jose L. Agosto , Al-Moosawi Lisa , Alverdy John , Amato Katherine R. , Andras Jason , Angenent Largus T. , Antonopoulos Dionysios A. , Apprill Amy , Armitage David , Ballantine Kate , Bárta Jirˇí , Baum Julia K. , Berry Allison , Bhatnagar Ashish , Bhatnagar Monica , Biddle Jennifer F. , Bittner Lucie , Boldgiv Bazartseren , Bottos Eric , Boyer Donal M. , Braun Josephine , Brazelton William , Brearley Francis Q. , Campbell Alexandra H. , Caporaso J. Gregory , Cardona Cesar , Carroll JoLynn , Cary S. Craig , Casper Brenda B. , Charles Trevor C. , Chu Haiyan , Claar Danielle C. , Clark Robert G. , Clayton Jonathan B. , Clemente Jose C. , Cochran Alyssa , Coleman Maureen L. , Collins Gavin , Colwell Rita R. , Contreras Mónica , Crary Benjamin B. , Creer Simon , Cristol Daniel A. , Crump Byron C. , Cui Duoying , Daly Sarah E. , Davalos Liliana , Dawson Russell D. , Defazio Jennifer , Delsuc Frédéric , Dionisi Hebe M. , Dominguez-Bello Maria Gloria , Dowell Robin , Dubinsky Eric A. , Dunn Peter O. , Ercolini Danilo , Espinoza Robert E. , Ezenwa Vanessa , Fenner Nathalie , Findlay Helen S. , Fleming Irma D. , Fogliano Vincenzo , Forsman Anna , Freeman Chris , Friedman Elliot S. , Galindo Giancarlo , Garcia Liza , Garcia-Amado Maria Alexandra , Garshelis David , Gasser Robin B. , Gerdts Gunnar , Gibson Molly K. , Gifford Isaac , Gill Ryan T. , Giray Tugrul , Gittel Antje , Golyshin Peter , Gong Donglai , Grossart Hans-Peter , Guyton Kristina , Haig Sarah-Jane , Hale Vanessa , Hall Ross Stephen , Hallam Steven J. , Handley Kim M. , Hasan Nur A. , Haydon Shane R. , Hickman Jonathan E. , Hidalgo Glida , Hofmockel Kirsten S. , Hooker Jeff , Hulth Stefan , Hultman Jenni , Hyde Embriette , Ibáñez-Álamo Juan Diego , Jastrow Julie D. , Jex Aaron R. , Johnson L. Scott , Johnston Eric R. , Joseph Stephen , Jurburg Stephanie D. , Jurelevicius Diogo , Karlsson Anders , Karlsson Roger , Kauppinen Seth , Kellogg Colleen T. E. , Kennedy Suzanne J. , Kerkhof Lee J. , King Gary M. , Kling George W. , Koehler Anson V. , Krezalek Monika , Kueneman Jordan , Lamendella Regina , Landon Emily M. , Lane-deGraaf Kelly , LaRoche Julie , Larsen Peter , Laverock Bonnie , Lax Simon , Lentino Miguel , Levin Iris I. , Liancourt Pierre , Liang Wenju , Linz Alexandra M. , Lipson David A. , Liu Yongqin , Lladser Manuel E. , Lozada Mariana , Spirito Catherine M. , MacCormack Walter P. , MacRae-Crerar Aurora , Magris Magda , Martín-Platero Antonio M. , Martín-Vivaldi Manuel , Martínez L. Margarita , Martínez-Bueno Manuel , Marzinelli Ezequiel M. , Mason Olivia U. , Mayer Gregory D. , McDevitt-Irwin Jamie M. , McDonald James E. , McGuire Krista L. , McMahon Katherine D. , McMinds Ryan , Medina Mónica , Mendelson Joseph R. , Metcalf Jessica L. , Meyer Folker , Michelangeli Fabian , Miller Kim , Mills David A. , Minich Jeremiah , Mocali Stefano , Moitinho-Silva Lucas , Moore Anni , Morgan-Kiss Rachael M. , Munroe Paul , Myrold David , Neufeld Josh D. , Ni Yingying , Nicol Graeme W. , Nielsen Shaun , Nissimov Jozef I. , Niu Kefeng , Nolan Matthew J. , Noyce Karen , O’Brien Sarah L. , Okamoto Noriko , Orlando Ludovic , Castellano Yadira Ortiz , Osuolale Olayinka , Oswald Wyatt , Parnell Jacob , Peralta-Sánchez Juan M. , Petraitis Peter , Pfister Catherine , Pilon-Smits Elizabeth , Piombino Paola , Pointing Stephen B. , Pollock F. Joseph , Potter Caitlin , Prithiviraj Bharath , Quince Christopher , Rani Asha , Ranjan Ravi , Rao Subramanya , Rees Andrew P. , Richardson Miles , Riebesell Ulf , Robinson Carol , Rockne Karl J. , Rodriguezl Selena Marie , Rohwer Forest , Roundstone Wayne , Safran Rebecca J. , Sangwan Naseer , Sanz Virginia , Schrenk Matthew , Schrenzel Mark D. , Scott Nicole M. , Seger Rita L. , Seguin-Orlando Andaine , Seldin Lucy , Seyler Lauren M. , Shakhsheer Baddr , Sheets Gabriela M. , Shen Congcong , Shi Yu , Shin Hakdong , Shogan Benjamin D. , Shutler Dave , Siegel Jeffrey , Simmons Steve , Sjöling Sara , Smith Daniel P. , Soler Juan J. , Sperling Martin , Steinberg Peter D. , Stephens Brent , Stevens Melita A. , Taghavi Safiyh , Tai Vera , Tait Karen , Tan Chia L. , Tas¸ Neslihan , Taylor D. Lee , Thomas Torsten , Timling Ina , Turner Benjamin L. , Urich Tim , Ursell Luke K. , van der Lelie Daniel , Van Treuren William , van Zwieten Lukas , Vargas-Robles Daniela , Thurber Rebecca Vega , Vitaglione Paola , Walker Donald A. , Walters William A. , Wang Shi , Wang Tao , Weaver Tom , Webster Nicole S. , Wehrle Beck , Weisenhorn Pamela , Weiss Sophie , Werner Jeffrey J. , West Kristin , Whitehead Andrew , Whitehead Susan R. , Whittingham Linda A. , Willerslev Eske , Williams Allison E. , Wood Stephen A. , Woodhams Douglas C. , Yang Yeqin , Zaneveld Jesse , Zarraonaindia Iratxe , Zhang Qikun , Zhao Hongxia 
Published: October 2017

Our growing awareness of the microbial world’s importance and diversity contrasts starkly with our limited understanding of its fundamental structure. Despite recent advances in DNA sequencing, a lack of standardized protocols and common analytical frameworks impedes comparisons among studies, hindering the development of global inferences about microbial life on Earth. Here we present a meta-analysis of microbial community samples collected by hundreds of researchers for the Earth Microbiome Project. Coordinated protocols and new analytical methods, particularly the use of exact sequences instead of clustered operational taxonomic units, enable bacterial and archaeal ribosomal RNA gene sequences to be followed across multiple studies and allow us to explore patterns of diversity at an unprecedented scale. The result is both a reference database giving global context to DNA sequence data and a framework for incorporating data from future studies, fostering increasingly complete characterization of Earth’s microbial diversity.