Table 2.

Several variables related to the collection and evaluation of microbial communities by amplicon sequencing have been performed. This table presents a subset of relevant variables and references to the studies in which they have been evaluated

Variable evaluated	Study references
Use of preservative agents (cryoprotectants, RNAlater, etc.)	[116–123]
Sequence database	[124–128]
Sequencing platform	[116, 125, 129–131]
Sample storage	[117–119, 127, 129, 132–142]
DNA extraction method (comparison of kits)	[116, 125, 127, 129, 130, 132, 140, 143–148]
Lysis method (chemical, enzymatic, mechanical)	[143–145, 149–151]
Sample collection (method, sampling location, sampler)	[118, 126, 129, 131, 134, 150, 152–156]
16S rRNA gene variable region sequenced	[10, 14, 124]