[Terrapreta] Metagenomics: Genomic Analysis of Microbial Communities

[Shengar at aol.com]

Metagenomics, which aims to access the genomic potential of  an environmental 
sample directly, is a burgeoning area that is generating  enormous amounts of 
biological information. An examination of recent  metagenomics literature 
reveals the discipline to be heading in new and  interesting directions, 
including the investigation of the normal flora of  mammals, analysis of ancient 
genomes, and exploration of the distribution  of novel pathways. In addition, the 
development of new bioinformatics  approaches and tools is allowing innovative 
mining of both existing and  new data. Finally, there are indications that the 
integration of  metagenomics with complementary approaches in microbial 
ecology is  beginning. 
_http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1574-6941.2005.00055.x_ 
(http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1574-6941.2005.00055.x) 
 




 
Uncultured microorganisms comprise the majority of the  planet's biological 
diversity. Microorganisms represent two of the three  domains of life and 
contain vast diversity that is the product of an  estimated 3.8 billion years of 
evolution. In many environments, as many as  99% of the microorganisms cannot be 
cultured by standard techniques, and  the uncultured fraction includes 
diverse organisms that are only distantly  related to the cultured ones. Therefore, 
culture-independent methods are  essential to understand the genetic 
diversity, population structure, and  ecological roles of the majority of 
microorganisms. Metagenomics, or the  culture-independent genomic analysis of an assemblage 
of microorganisms,  has potential to answer fundamental questions in 
microbial ecology. This  review describes progress toward understanding the biology of 
uncultured  Bacteria, Archaea, and viruses through metagenomic analyses.  

 




_http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146%2Fannurev.genet.38.072902
.091216_ 
(http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.genet.38.072902.091216) 



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