200,000 species: what your microbiome map looks like

Third-generation sequencing distinguishes individual bacterial and fungal species with a resolution that once required weeks of lab work. A SPARKbiom result shows not only which microbes are present, but their relative abundance across the gut ecosystem.

What we measure

Each sample goes through DNA isolation, amplification of 16S/18S regions, and long-read sequencing against a reference of 200,000+ described species — bacteria, fungi, and protists.

In a typical stool sample the most abundant taxon is often Eubacterium rectale, a butyrate producer — one of the key short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that nourish the gut epithelium.

“The microbiome is not a species list — it is a map of relationships that shape digestion, defence, and mood.”

Why species-level resolution matters

Short-read methods often cannot separate closely related species — yet that is where functional differences are largest. Two strains from the same genus can have opposite effects on inflammation or metabolism.

• Species-level identification, not only genus
• Detection of low-abundance opportunistic pathogens
• Comparison against a 600+ person reference cohort

We cover the full functional readout — including 13 metabolic pathway baskets — in a follow-up article on the PICRUSt2 report.