Metagenomics and their Applications in Veterinary Science
Loading...
Date
2017-02
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Metagenomics is analogous approach to the genomics with the difference that it does not deal with
the single genome from a clone or microbe cultured or characterized in laboratory It deals with
the entire microbial community present in an environmental sample hence it is also called as
community genome. The challenge of microbiologists for decades is how to access the
microorganisms that cannot be cultured in the laboratory. Ahnost all of our knowledge of
microbial life is based on organisms raised in pure culture but metagenomics provides an additional
set of tools to study uncultured species. This new field offers an approach to study microbial
communities as entire units, without cultivating individual members. Metagenomics entails
extraction of DNA from a community and these genomes are usually fragmented and cloned into
an organism that can be cultured to create ’metagenomic libraries' and these libraries are then
subjected to analysis based on DNA sequence or on functions conferred on the surrogate host by
the metagenomic DNA. The metagenomic information allows in-depth understanding of the
ecological role, metabolism, and evolutionary history of microbes in a ecosystem. One of the most
outstanding discoveries of metagenomics is the first description of proteorhodopsin in marine
bacteria. Metagenomics will help in continuous detection and description of novel viruses in the
future that leads to a better understanding of both emerging and existing diseases as well as to the
increased knowledge of the role of different viruses in humans and animals.
Description
TNV_INFRM_2017_4(2)149-156
Keywords
Veterinary Science