Metagenomic Chromosome Conformation Capture (3C): techniques, applications, and challenges

We review currently available technologies for deconvoluting metagenomic data into individual genomes that represent populations, strains, or genotypes present in the community. An evaluation of chromosome conformation capture (3C) and related techniques in the context of metagenomics is presented, using mock microbial communities as a reference. We provide the first independent reproduction of the metagenomic 3C technique described last year, propose some simple improvements to that protocol, and compare the quality of the data with that provided by the more complex Hi-C protocol.