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A catalog of reference genomes from the human microbiome
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|May 22, 2010
Summary
Researchers sequenced 178 microbial genomes, identifying over 30,000 novel polypeptides. This human microbiome data advances understanding of microbial diversity and its link to health and disease.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genomics
- Bioinformatics
Background:
- The human microbiome comprises diverse microorganisms influencing health and disease.
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) initiative aims to characterize microbial species diversity.
- Metagenomic sequencing and reference genome sequencing are key components of this initiative.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present initial reference genome sequencing results from 178 microbial genomes.
- To identify novel polypeptides within these microbial genomes.
- To assess the utility of the reference set for microbiome sequence analysis.
Main Methods:
- Sequencing of 178 microbial reference genomes.
- Identification of polypeptides with specific length and sequence homology criteria.
- BLASTP analysis against a nonredundant database.
- Pan-genome analysis to assess data set saturation.
Main Results:
- A set of 30,867 novel polypeptides was identified, with 97% being unique.
- The reference genome set enables association of approximately 40% of gastrointestinal tract microbiome sequences with specific organisms.
- Pan-genome analysis indicates microbial genetic data sets are not yet saturated.
Conclusions:
- The initial 178 microbial reference genomes provide a valuable resource for microbiome research.
- A significant number of novel microbial polypeptides were discovered.
- Further sequencing is required to fully capture the genetic diversity of the human microbiome.
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