-Previous open source microbiome packages available for R [@r-core] (e.g. **vegan** and **microbiome**) have been developed, but lack the functionality afforded to more modern tools including **phyloseq** [@phyloseq] and **metacoder** [@metacoder]. Both of these packages, however, provide different degrees of functionality as it relates to data wrangling, statistical methods, and visualization. Phyloseq, for instance, relies on **base** R functions such as _subset_ to extract or manipulate data, while metacoder uses a more modern approach like the **tidyverse**. Additionally, metacoder is built on top of the **taxa** package and uses a _“taxmap object”_, which allows for direct manipulation of hierarchical taxonomic data and associated application-specific data [@taxa]. Phyloseq, on the other hand, provides an excellent means for importing data into R as a _“phyloseq object”_, which can be used with various proven methods for analysis. In order to bridge the gap, we have developed **MicrobiomeR**, to provide new tools and a comprehensive workflow based on concepts found in the phyloseq package and newer technologies being developed in the metacoder package.
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