# PICRUSt question- whether to normalize gene table

**URL:** <https://forum.biobakery.org/t/picrust-question-whether-to-normalize-gene-table/160>\
**Category:** PICRUSt\
**Created:** [January 24, 2020, 6:42pm UTC](https://forum.biobakery.org/t/picrust-question-whether-to-normalize-gene-table/160 "2020-01-24T18:42:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sagunmaharjann](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.biobakery.org/sagunmaharjann/32/168_2.png) [@sagunmaharjann](https://forum.biobakery.org/u/sagunmaharjann)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2020, 6:42pm UTC](https://forum.biobakery.org/t/picrust-question-whether-to-normalize-gene-table/160/1 "2020-01-24T18:42:10Z")

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I am using PICRUSt (through the Nephele platform). From Langille et a. (2013), the OTU table is normalized, the metagenome is inferred, and the gene table is calculated. My colleagues and I are unsure whether we should normalize the counts in the gene table. It seems that many researchers do so- with our own data, the results make more sense when the gene table is normalized. Using gene counts (without normalization), the data are highly skewed. Your advice is appreciated.

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**Author:** ![franzosa](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.biobakery.org/franzosa/32/3511_2.png) [@franzosa](https://forum.biobakery.org/u/franzosa)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 10:27pm UTC](https://forum.biobakery.org/t/picrust-question-whether-to-normalize-gene-table/160/2 "2020-01-30T22:27:47Z")

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I would recommend normalizing the gene counts.