Bio Workflows Edna Pipeline

Raw amplicon FASTQ (demultiplexed)
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    v
[1. QC] ------------------> FastQC / MultiQC quality assessment
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    v
[2. Primer Removal] ------> Cutadapt (remove forward + reverse primers)
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    |                            +---> QC: reads per sample >1000
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    +--- Path A: OBITools3     +--- Path B: DADA2
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    |       v                  |       v
    |   [3a. obi alignpairedend]   [3b. filterAndTrim]
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    |       v                  |       v
    |   [4a. obi uniq]        |   [4b. learnErrors + dada]
    |       |                  |       |
    |       v                  |       v
    |   [5a. obi ecotag]      |   [5b. assignTaxonomy]
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    +-------- Merge -----------+
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                v
[6. Contamination Filter] -> decontam / microDecon (negative control removal)
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    v
[7. Taxonomy Table] -------> Species x sample matrix
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[8. Diversity Analysis] ---> iNEXT Hill numbers (q=0,1,2)
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    v
[9. Community Comparison] -> vegan CCA/RDA + indicspecies
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    v
Species table + diversity metrics + ordination plots

fastqc -t 8 -o fastqc_output/ raw_reads/*.fastq.gz
multiqc fastqc_output/ -o multiqc_report/

# Adapter sequences are marker-specific; examples below for common eDNA markers
# --discard-untrimmed: remove reads without primers (likely off-target)
# --minimum-length 50: discard very short fragments after trimming

# COI (Leray primers mlCOIintF / jgHCO2198)
cutadapt -g GGWACWGGWTGAACWGTWTAYCCYCC -G TAIACYTCIGGRTGICCRAARAAYCA \
    --discard-untrimmed --minimum-length 50 -j 8 \
    -o trimmed/{sample}_R1.fastq.gz -p trimmed/{sample}_R2.fastq.gz \
    raw_reads/{sample}_R1.fastq.gz raw_reads/{sample}_R2.fastq.gz

# Gate: reads per sample >1000; negative controls <100 reads
for f in trimmed/*_R1.fastq.gz; do
    sample=$(basename "$f" _R1.fastq.gz)
    count=$(zcat "$f" | awk 'END{print NR/4}')
    echo "$sample: $count reads"
done

# Import, align, and SAMPLE-TAG each demultiplexed sample separately, then concatenate.
# On multiplexed data `obi ngsfilter -t tagfile` assigns the `sample` tag; with pre-demultiplexed
# FASTQ it must be set explicitly (-S takes TAG:PYTHON_EXPRESSION), otherwise `obi uniq -m sample`
# has nothing to merge on and the MERGED_sample tag `obi clean -s` needs is never created.
for s in $(cat samples.txt); do
    obi import --fastq-input trimmed/${s}_R1.fastq.gz reads/${s}_r1
    obi import --fastq-input trimmed/${s}_R2.fastq.gz reads/${s}_r2
    obi alignpairedend -R reads/${s}_r2 reads/${s}_r1 reads/${s}_aligned
    obi annotate -S "sample:'${s}'" reads/${s}_aligned reads/${s}_tagged
done
obi cat $(for s in $(cat samples.txt); do printf -- '-c reads/%s_tagged ' "$s"; done) reads/aligned

# Filter by alignment score
# score >= 50: removes poorly overlapping pairs
obi grep -p 'sequence["score"] >= 50' reads/aligned reads/filtered

# Filter by merged length (marker-dependent range)
# 100-500 bp: typical COI amplicon range
obi grep -p 'len(sequence) >= 100 and len(sequence) <= 500' \
    reads/filtered reads/length_filtered

# Dereplicate
obi uniq -m sample reads/length_filtered reads/dereplicated   # -m sample creates the MERGED_sample tag obi clean -s needs

# Remove singletons
# count >=2: removes sequencing errors; increase to 5-10 for noisy datasets
obi grep -p 'sequence["COUNT"] >= 2' reads/dereplicated reads/denoised   # obi uniq writes the COUNT tag uppercase (case-sensitive)

# Denoise (remove PCR/sequencing errors)
# ratio 0.05: sequences <5% abundance of a 1-mismatch parent are merged
obi clean -s MERGED_sample -r 0.05 -H reads/denoised reads/cleaned

library(dada2)

path <- 'trimmed/'
fnFs <- sort(list.files(path, pattern = '_R1.fastq.gz', full.names = TRUE))
fnRs <- sort(list.files(path, pattern = '_R2.fastq.gz', full.names = TRUE))
sample_names <- gsub('_R1.fastq.gz', '', basename(fnFs))

# Filter and trim
# truncLen: set based on quality profiles; marker-dependent
# maxEE c(2,2): max expected errors; standard for eDNA
# minLen 50: minimum after trimming
filtFs <- file.path('filtered', paste0(sample_names, '_F_filt.fastq.gz'))
filtRs <- file.path('filtered', paste0(sample_names, '_R_filt.fastq.gz'))
out <- filterAndTrim(fnFs, filtFs, fnRs, filtRs,
                     truncLen = c(200, 180), maxEE = c(2, 2),
                     minLen = 50, truncQ = 2, rm.phix = TRUE,
                     multithread = TRUE)

# Learn error rates
errF <- learnErrors(filtFs, multithread = TRUE)
errR <- learnErrors(filtRs, multithread = TRUE)

# Denoise
dadaFs <- dada(filtFs, err = errF, multithread = TRUE)
dadaRs <- dada(filtRs, err = errR, multithread = TRUE)

# Merge paired reads
# minOverlap 20: standard; increase if amplicon has short overlap region
merged <- mergePairs(dadaFs, filtFs, dadaRs, filtRs, minOverlap = 20)

# Build ASV table
seqtab <- makeSequenceTable(merged)

# Remove chimeras
# method 'consensus': standard; 'pooled' for higher sensitivity
seqtab_nochim <- removeBimeraDenovo(seqtab, method = 'consensus', multithread = TRUE)
chimera_rate <- 1 - sum(seqtab_nochim) / sum(seqtab)
message(sprintf('Chimera rate: %.1f%%', chimera_rate * 100))

# Gate 1: Chimera rate <20%
if (chimera_rate > 0.20) message('WARNING: High chimera rate. Check primer removal and PCR conditions.')

# Gate 2: ASV count reasonable for marker
n_asvs <- ncol(seqtab_nochim)
message(sprintf('ASVs after denoising: %d', n_asvs))
# Typical ranges: COI 500-5000, 12S 50-500, ITS 200-3000

library(decontam)
library(phyloseq)

ps <- phyloseq(otu_table(seqtab_nochim, taxa_are_rows = FALSE),
               sample_data(meta))

# Identify negative controls
sample_data(ps)$is_neg <- sample_data(ps)$sample_type == 'negative_control'

# Combined method (Davis 2018): uses BOTH negative controls AND DNA concentration
# threshold=0.1 default; 0.05 for low-biomass samples
# CRITICAL: output is SCREENING, not classification; biological-plausibility check required
if ('dna_concentration' %in% sample_variables(ps)) {
    contam <- isContaminant(ps, method = 'combined', neg = 'is_neg',
                            conc = 'dna_concentration', threshold = 0.1)
} else {
    # Fall back to prevalence-only if no qPCR/Qubit DNA-concentration data
    contam <- isContaminant(ps, method = 'prevalence', neg = 'is_neg',
                            threshold = 0.1)
}
message(sprintf('Flagged candidate contaminant ASVs: %d', sum(contam$contaminant)))
message('Manual review required: verify biological plausibility before deletion')

ps_clean <- prune_taxa(!contam$contaminant, ps)

# Remove negative control samples
ps_clean <- subset_samples(ps_clean, sample_type != 'negative_control')

# Tag-jumping: cross-contamination from index hopping during library prep / sequencing
# Schnell 2015 Mol Ecol Resour 15:1289-1303 documented 0.1-2% per read pair
# NovaSeq patterned flow cells have ~10x higher rates than MiSeq
# Use platform-appropriate threshold:
#   MiSeq: 0.001-0.005 (0.1-0.5% of ASV total)
#   NovaSeq: 0.005-0.01 (0.5-1% of ASV total)
# Quantify residual rate first from per-ASV cross-sample appearance
otu <- as(otu_table(ps_clean), 'matrix')
max_per_asv <- apply(otu, 2, max)
otu_filtered <- otu
# Set threshold by platform; default below is for MiSeq
tag_jump_frac <- 0.001
for (j in 1:ncol(otu)) {
    threshold <- max_per_asv[j] * tag_jump_frac
    otu_filtered[otu[, j] < threshold, j] <- 0
}
otu_table(ps_clean) <- otu_table(otu_filtered, taxa_are_rows = FALSE)
# Modern alternative: metabaR::tagjumpslayer(metabarlist_obj, threshold = 0.03)

# Gate: verify contaminant ASVs were removed from real samples
n_before <- ntaxa(ps)
n_after <- ntaxa(ps_clean)
message(sprintf('ASVs removed as contaminants: %d (%.1f%%)',
                n_before - n_after, (n_before - n_after) / n_before * 100))
if ((n_before - n_after) / n_before > 0.5) {
    message('WARNING: >50% ASVs flagged as contaminants. Review decontam threshold.')
}

# ecotag assigns taxonomy using LCA algorithm against reference database
# Reference databases: EMBL, BOLD, MIDORI2, UNITE (marker-dependent)
obi ecotag -R reads/refdb --taxonomy reads/taxonomy reads/cleaned reads/assigned

# Filter by assignment quality (species-level for COI)
obi grep -p 'sequence["BEST_IDENTITY"] >= 0.97' reads/assigned reads/filtered_assigned   # ecotag writes BEST_IDENTITY uppercase (case-sensitive)

obi export --tab-output reads/filtered_assigned > taxonomy_results.tsv

# SILVA for 16S/18S, UNITE for ITS, custom for COI/12S
# Reference databases must be formatted for DADA2
# minBoot 50: minimum bootstrap confidence; 80 for more conservative assignments
taxa <- assignTaxonomy(seqtab_nochim, 'reference_db.fa.gz', multithread = TRUE, minBoot = 50)
taxa <- addSpecies(taxa, 'species_db.fa.gz')

# Gate: assignment rate should meet marker expectations
assigned <- !is.na(taxa[, 'Phylum'])
assignment_rate <- sum(assigned) / length(assigned) * 100
message(sprintf('Taxonomy assignment rate (phylum level): %.1f%%', assignment_rate))
if (assignment_rate < 60) message('WARNING: Low assignment rate. Check reference database completeness.')

library(iNEXT)

otu_matrix <- as(otu_table(ps_clean), 'matrix')

# Hill numbers: q=0 (richness), q=1 (Shannon diversity), q=2 (Simpson diversity).
# Default endpoint = per-sample 2x reference size (the Chao 2014 doubling rule); do NOT hardcode a
# single global 2*max, which over-extrapolates small samples under unequal library sizes.
inext_out <- iNEXT(as.list(as.data.frame(t(otu_matrix))),
                   q = c(0, 1, 2), datatype = 'abundance')

# Coverage-based standardization at C=0.95: the fair cross-sample comparison (equalizes completeness,
# not raw depth). estimateD returns Hill numbers at that coverage.
div_c95 <- estimateD(as.list(as.data.frame(t(otu_matrix))),
                     q = c(0, 1, 2), datatype = 'abundance', base = 'coverage', level = 0.95)

# Sample completeness diagnostic: fraction of estimated diversity observed
completeness <- inext_out$DataInfo$SC
message(sprintf('Sample completeness range: %.1f%% - %.1f%%',
                min(completeness) * 100, max(completeness) * 100))

# Gate 1: rarefaction approaching asymptote
if (min(completeness) < 0.80) {
    message('WARNING: Some samples have low completeness (<80%). Deeper sequencing recommended.')
}

# Gate 2: richness. Use the COVERAGE-STANDARDIZED q=0, NOT inext_out$AsyEst 'Species richness' (the
# Chao1 asymptotic): denoising stripped singletons (COUNT >= 2), leaving Chao1 no f1, so it degenerates
# to observed richness -- the collapse rule 3 forbids. estimateD returns Order.q / qD.
q0_c95 <- div_c95[div_c95$Order.q == 0, ]
message(sprintf('Coverage-standardized (C=0.95) richness range: %.0f - %.0f effective species',   # qD is fractional; %d errors on doubles
                min(q0_c95$qD), max(q0_c95$qD)))

library(vegan)
library(indicspecies)

otu_matrix <- as(otu_table(ps_clean), 'matrix')
env_data <- as(sample_data(ps_clean), 'data.frame')

# Hellinger transformation: standard for community composition data
# Reduces influence of dominant species
otu_hell <- decostand(otu_matrix, method = 'hellinger')

# DCA on untransformed data to determine gradient length
dca <- decorana(otu_matrix)
gradient_length <- diff(range(scores(dca, display = 'sites', choices = 1)))
message(sprintf('DCA gradient length: %.2f SD', gradient_length))

# RDA: linear response (<=3 SD), uses Hellinger-transformed data
# CCA: unimodal response (>3 SD), uses raw abundances (chi-squared distance)
if (gradient_length <= 3) {
    ord <- rda(otu_hell ~ temperature + depth + season, data = env_data)
    method_name <- 'RDA'
} else {
    ord <- cca(otu_matrix ~ temperature + depth + season, data = env_data)
    method_name <- 'CCA'
}

# Permutation test for significance
# permutations 999: standard; increase to 9999 for publication
anova_result <- anova.cca(ord, permutations = 999)
message(sprintf('%s significance: p = %.4f', method_name, anova_result$`Pr(>F)`[1]))

# MANDATORY companion: PERMANOVA + PERMDISP (Anderson & Walsh 2013 Ecol Monogr 83:557-574)
# adonis2 tests centroid difference; betadisper tests dispersion homogeneity
# If betadisper is also significant, PERMANOVA significance is dispersion-confounded
bray_dist <- vegdist(otu_matrix, method = 'bray')
permanova <- adonis2(bray_dist ~ site, data = env_data,
                     by = 'margin', permutations = 999)
disp <- betadisper(bray_dist, env_data$site)
disp_test <- permutest(disp, permutations = 999)
message(sprintf('PERMANOVA p = %.4f; PERMDISP p = %.4f',
                permanova[['Pr(>F)']][1], disp_test$tab[['Pr(>F)']][1]))
if (permanova[['Pr(>F)']][1] < 0.05 && disp_test$tab[['Pr(>F)']][1] < 0.05) {
    message('WARNING: Both PERMANOVA and PERMDISP significant; location-vs-dispersion confounded')
}

# Indicator species analysis with group-size equalization (NOT basic IndVal)
# func='IndVal.g' corrects for unbalanced group sizes (De Caceres & Legendre 2009)
indval <- multipatt(otu_matrix, env_data$site, func = 'IndVal.g',
                    control = how(nperm = 999))
summary(indval, alpha = 0.05)