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A Genus Definition for Bacteria and Archaea Based on a Standard Genome Relatedness Index

Journal Article · · mBio
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [4];  [5];
  1. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay, Maine, USA
  2. Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
  3. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama, Republic of Panama
  4. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
  5. Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay, Maine, USA

In recent decades, the taxonomy of Bacteria and Archaea , and therefore genus designation, has been largely based on the use of a single ribosomal gene, the 16S rRNA gene, as a taxonomic marker. We propose an approach to delineate genera that excludes the direct use of the 16S rRNA gene and focuses on a standard genome relatedness index, the average nucleotide identity. Our findings are of importance to the microbiology community because the emergent properties of Bacteria and Archaea that are identified in this study will help assign genera with higher taxonomic resolution.

Research Organization:
NamesforLife, LLC, East Lansing, MI (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations; Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation; National Science Foundation (NSF); Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; USDOE; USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
FG02-07ER86321; SC0006191
OSTI ID:
1582484
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1626150
Journal Information:
mBio, Journal Name: mBio Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 11; ISSN 2161-2129
Publisher:
American Society for MicrobiologyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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