How to report ASVs that have identical taxonomic assignments?

[Eva_K]

Hi,

I am working with ASV data and I applied a ZINB model to test for significantly different ASVs between Intervention vs Baseline. In the results table I find for example two different ASVs that have the same taxonomic assignment:
ASV 1: Bacteria Firmicutes Clostridia Clostridiales Ruminococcaceae Faecalibacterium NA
ASV 2: Bacteria Firmicutes Clostridia Clostridiales Ruminococcaceae Faecalibacterium NA
I am wondering how to report/name them in a publication.
Is it valid to say ‘Two ASVs of genera Faecalibacterium (and unassigned species) are differentially abundant between intervention and baseline’ ?

Thank you for your help.

Best regards,
Eva

[Nicholas_Bokulich]

@Eva_K

I am wondering how to report/name them in a publication.

you could give the ASV ID along with the taxonomy, or do as you have done (assign an arbitrary ID along with the taxonomy).

@Eva_K

Is it valid to say ‘Two ASVs of genera Faecalibacterium (and unassigned species) are differentially abundant between intervention and baseline’ ?

Yes! Absolutely. For one, you are not achieving species-level ID (as is typical for 16S subdomains, which I assume you are using), so reporting it like this is quite normal in my opinion.

[Eva_K]

Thank you so much for your help!