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Updated: Jun 8, 2026
08:05
Guided Protocol for Fecal Microbial Characterization by 16S rRNA-Amplicon Sequencing
Published on: March 19, 2018
High-throughput sequencing and clinical microbiology: progress, opportunities and challenges
Mark J Pallen1, Nicholas J Loman, Charles W Penn
1School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom. m.pallen@bham.ac.uk
Current Opinion in Microbiology
|September 17, 2010
Summary
High-throughput sequencing revolutionizes clinical microbiology with rapid whole-genome sequencing and advanced applications. This disruptive technology promises culture-independent diagnostics and high-resolution genomic epidemiology.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genomics
- Bioinformatics
Background:
- High-throughput sequencing (HTS) is rapidly advancing clinical microbiology.
- Current methods are being transformed by HTS capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the impact of HTS on pathogen biology and diagnostics.
- To highlight the potential of HTS in genomic epidemiology and culture-independent microbiology.
Main Methods:
- Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) for pathogen analysis.
- RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) for gene expression studies.
- Metagenomics and single-cell genomics for microbial community analysis.
Main Results:
- HTS provides rapid and cost-effective WGS, enhancing pathogen biology insights.
- Sophisticated applications like RNA-seq are becoming increasingly accessible.
- HTS enables high-resolution genomic epidemiology, offering a superior typing method for bacteria.
Conclusions:
- HTS is a disruptive technology poised to revolutionize diagnostic microbiology.
- The future of microbiology includes sequence-based, culture-independent diagnostics.
- Prepare for a 'technological singularity' where HTS surpasses existing diagnostic and typing methods.
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