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Assessing evolutionary relationships among microbes from whole-genome analysis.
1The Institute for Genomic Research, 9712 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, USA. jeisen@tigr.org
Current Opinion in Microbiology
|October 26, 2000
Summary
Complete genome sequencing advances microbial evolutionary biology. Key findings include the first Crenarchaeota genome, evidence for frequent horizontal gene transfer, and insights into rapid genome evolution.
Area of Science:
- Microbial evolutionary biology
- Genomics
- Bioinformatics
Background:
- Complete genome sequencing is a rapidly advancing field.
- Microbial evolution studies benefit from genomic data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight recent advances in microbial evolutionary biology driven by genome sequencing.
- To discuss key findings from complete genome analyses.
Main Methods:
- Whole-genome sequencing
- Comparative genomics
- Phylogenetic analysis
Main Results:
- The first complete genome sequence of a Crenarchaeota was determined.
- Analysis suggests horizontal gene transfer is prevalent in microbial evolution.
- Insights into genome evolution on short evolutionary timescales were revealed.
Conclusions:
- Complete genome sequencing is revolutionizing microbial evolutionary biology.
- New genomic data provides a deeper understanding of microbial evolution and diversity.