Figure 1. Significantly significant features of the LC microbiome which are observed in the sputum from patients with LC or COPD. We have previously published metagenomics studies of LC and COPD patients [44, 48]. Working at the level of ‘genus’, those showing significant differences between the microbiomes from LC (LC+) patients to patients referred to respiratory clinics, which were not found to have LC (LC−) or to COPD patients (further experimental details are found in [44, 48]), were extracted and compared using a heat map. Three genera showed significant increases in the LC+ category and these are presented in box and whisker format to depict log10 microbial abundance data.