Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 18, 2026
10:00
An Ultrahigh-throughput Microfluidic Platform for Single-cell Genome Sequencing
Published on: May 23, 2018
Single cell genomics: an individual look at microbes.
1Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay, ME 04544, United States. rstepanauskas@bigelow.org
Current Opinion in Microbiology
|October 3, 2012
Summary
Single cell genomics (SCG) reveals hereditary information in individual cells, complementing traditional methods. This powerful approach aids in studying uncultured microbes, their evolution, and potential industrial applications.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genomics
- Bioinformatics
Background:
- Single cell genomics (SCG) offers a powerful complement to cultivation-based and community-focused research.
- It is crucial for understanding uncultured microbial groups that dominate environments and biogeochemical cycles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the significance of SCG in microbial research.
- To outline the methods and potential applications of SCG.
Main Methods:
- Sample collection and preservation.
- Physical separation, lysis, and whole genome amplification of individual cells.
- Genomic sequencing and feature inference.
Main Results:
- SCG has identified metabolic features, evolutionary histories, and interactions of uncultured microbes.
- It shows promise in microbial microevolution studies and industrial bioprospecting.
Conclusions:
- SCG is a vital tool for uncovering microbial diversity and function.
- Its application extends from environmental science to industrial biotechnology.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Modern Molecular Taxonomy
Advancements in molecular biology have revolutionized the identification and characterization of bacteria, with multiple methods leveraging DNA sequencing for enhanced precision. As sequencing technologies improve and costs decline, these approaches are increasingly used in clinical, environmental, and evolutionary studies.Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) examines several housekeeping genes, essential chromosomal genes encoding cellular functions, to distinguish strains. Approximately...
01:08Evolution of Microbial Genome
Microbial genome evolution is a highly dynamic process shaped by continual gene gain and loss across species and strains. This genomic flexibility allows microorganisms to adapt rapidly to environmental pressures and interactions with other organisms. Central to understanding this diversity is the distinction between the core and pan genomes.The core genome comprises the genes shared by all sampled strains of a species, representing essential functions needed for fundamental cellular processes.
01:19Methods to Assess Microbial Communities
Microbial communities, comprising bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotic microorganisms, inhabit diverse ecosystems and play crucial roles in environmental and biological processes. Their diversity is defined by three main parameters: species richness (the number of distinct species), species abundance (the relative quantity of each species), and species evenness (how uniformly individual species are distributed in various locations). These factors together shape the structure and ecological balance...
02:02Genomics
Genomics is the science of genomes: it is the study of all the genetic material of an organism. In humans, the genome consists of information carried in 23 pairs of chromosomes in the nucleus, as well as mitochondrial DNA. In genomics, both coding and non-coding DNA is sequenced and analyzed. Genomics allows a better understanding of all living things, their evolution, and their diversity. It has a myriad of uses: for example, to build phylogenetic trees, to improve productivity and...
01:22Introduction to the Human Microbiota
Microorganisms colonize various regions of the human body, including the mouth, nasal passages, throat, stomach, intestines, urogenital tract, and skin. The total number of microbial cells is estimated to range from 10¹³ to 10¹⁴—comparable to, or exceeding, the number of human somatic cells. This host–microbiome relationship has led to the conceptualization of humans as supraorganisms, wherein microbial communities perform vital roles in development, immunity, and disease...
01:29Microbial Morphologies
Bacterial and archaeal cells exhibit remarkable diversity in shape and structure, critical in their adaptability and functionality. Among bacteria, the most commonly observed shapes include cocci and bacilli. Cocci are spherical and may exist singly or in groupings such as pairs (diplococci), chains (streptococci), clusters (staphylococci), or tetrads. Bacilli, in contrast, are rod-shaped and can also occur as single cells, in pairs, or chains, depending on their environmental and genetic...