Great Barrier Reef Genomics Database: Sediment Illumina Reads

Updated: 2026-08-18

This dataset comprises of microbial metagenomics sequencing reads of reef sediment collected across 48 reef sites across the Great Barrier Reef. Samples were collected across four Long Term Monitoring Program (LTMP) field trips between November 2019-July 2020, combining water chemistry data, LTMP field surveys and microbial metagenomics data. This data collection was a major part of the QRCIF IMOS GBR microbial genomic database project, which aims to generate a comprehensive open access repository of microbial genomic data from across the region. Sediments were collected in quadruplicate either by SCUBA or using a telescopic collection pole, A 50ml Falcon tube of sediment was collected and snap frozen and stored at -20°C in preparation of DNA extraction. DNA was extracted following sediment sonication and sterivex filtration using phenol:chloroform:Iso-amyl alcolol extraction, ethanol precipitation and cleanup using the Zymo Clean and Concentrator® kit before submission for sequencing at the Australian Centre for Ecogenomics sequencing facility, Illumina. The data presented as illumina paired-end shotgun metagenomics sequencing runs, in fastq format, generated by Microba Life Sciences, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. Each downloadable archive contains forward and reverse reads for all replicate sampling performed at that particular site. Water quality particulate and dissolved nutrient data was generated as previously described (https://doi.org/10.25845/5c09b551f315b) from water samples collected simultaneously at each reef site. Zip files are available through the spatial layer under each site's 'illumina.sediment.zip' - please note these are large downloads (between 12 - 60 GB).