Question of the Week, 16.8.2011
Due to the introduction of next-generation sequencing technologies, a
lot of habitats have been sequenced with the aim of getting insights
into microbial communities provided by metagenomic analysis [1]. Based
on this possibility, many habitats with harsh life conditions have been
sequenced, such as deep sea thermal vents, desert or Antarctic frozen
lakes. However, in most cases only few or no related organisms are known
whereby the identification of genes and enzymes of the microbial
community is hampered [2]. If sequence similarity searches are not
applicable because of the inaccuracy and the high amount of hypothetical
proteins in unknown habitats, how could a higher amount of genes be
identified and therefore metabolic reconstruction be relieved?
[1] Jo Handelsman: Metagenomics: Application of Genomics to Uncultured
Microorganisms. Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, 68(4), 2004.
[2] Philip Hugenholtz and Gene W. Tyson: Metagenomics. Nature, 455, 2008.
Johannes Werner