The 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) plays a crucial role in bacterial and archaeal ribosomes. This sequence is Highly conserved across bacteria and archaea, it contains variable regions useful for species differentiation and is part of the 30S subunit of prokaryotic ribosomes. 16s rRNA Binds to the Shine-Dalgarno sequence and contributes to the subunit’s structure. Acts as a scaffold for ribosomal proteins.
Because the 16s rRNA sequence is ubiquitous in bacteria and archaea, it can be used to identify a wide diversity of microbes within a single sample and single workflow.