A multi-omic future for microbiome studies

Journal Article · Tue Apr 26 04:00:00 EDT 2016 · Nature Microbiology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/NMICROBIOL.2016.49· OSTI ID:1327110

Jansson, Janet K.; Baker, Erin S.

Microbes constitute about a third of the Earth’s biomass and play critical roles in sustaining life. While results from multiple sequence-based studies have illustrated the importance of microbial communities for human health and the environment, additional technological developments are still needed to gain more insight into their functions [1]. To date, the majority of sequencing studies have focused on the 16S rRNA gene as a phylogenetic marker. This approach has enabled exploration of microbial compositions in a range of sample types, while bypassing the need for cultivation. 16S rRNA gene sequencing has also enabled a vast majority of microorganisms never previously isolated in culture to be identified and placed into a phylogenetic context [2]. These technologies have been utilized to map the locations of microbes inhabiting various locations of the body [3]. Similarly, sequencing has been used to determine the identities and distributions of microorganisms inhabiting different ecosystems [4, 5], and efforts in single cell sequencing of the microbiome have helped fill in missing branches of the phylogenetic tree [6].

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US), Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1327110
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-116189; 48680; 453040220
• Journal Information: Nature Microbiology, Journal Name: Nature Microbiology Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 1; ISSN 2058-5276
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory