Figure 4

(a) Visualization depicting the percentage of reads across different target genes (16S rRNA, rpoB, hsp65) for DNA from each African buffalo tissue sample (n = 7) where the presence of non-tuberculous mycobacteria or heterogeneous mycobacterial communities was detected. Reference-free sorting and assembly of consensus sequences were performed on randomly selected reads. The relative abundance of the target genes amplified using a multiplex PCR and sequenced using Oxford Nanopore Technologies is shown. (b) The relative abundance of reads appertaining to different mycobacteria and closely related organisms including Streptomyces sp. is illustrated. Identification of mycobacterial communities based on the amplification of the hsp65 gene. Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC); Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC); NB18261 mediastinal lymph node; NB18258 lung; NB18206 subiliac lymph node; NB17074 and KS19028 pooled head lymph nodes; NB17057 parotid; NB17050 retropharyngeal lymph node.