Probing the evolution, ecology and physiology of marine protists using transcriptomics.
David A Caron1, Harriet Alexander2, Andrew E Allen3,4
1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, 3616 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.
Nature Reviews. Microbiology
|November 22, 2016
Summary
Marine protists are vital single-celled eukaryotes. New transcriptomic and meta-omics data reveal novel genes, enhancing our understanding of ocean life and microbial interactions.
Area of Science:
- Marine biology
- Microbial ecology
- Genomics
Background:
- Protists are crucial single-celled eukaryotes influencing marine ecosystems.
- Genome-based studies of protists have historically lagged.
- Limited genetic information hinders understanding of protist diversity and function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advances in protist research using transcriptomic and meta-omics data.
- To highlight the insights gained into protist adaptations and interactions.
- To discuss the future utility of large-scale genetic datasets for marine science.
Main Methods:
- Transcriptomic studies of cultured protist species.
- Meta-omics analyses of natural marine microbial communities.
- Bioinformatic comparison of newly sequenced genes with public databases.
Main Results:
- Increased availability of genetic information for underrepresented protist lineages.
- Identification of numerous novel genes with unknown functions.
- Insights into protist adaptations, ecological roles, and interactions with other organisms.
Conclusions:
- Novel genetic data are expanding our knowledge of marine protist diversity and function.
- Understanding newly discovered genes is key to appreciating ocean metabolic processes.
- Future research will leverage these datasets to further unravel marine microbial ecosystems.
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