Exploring the World of Bacterial Genomes with Novel Sequencing Methods | The Scientist

This article features work by , who is using pink berries -- tiny clumps of bacteria and viruses sampled from salt marshes near Woods Hole -- to study a rare mutagenesis system in the bacteria (diversity generating retroelements). Wilbanks is a former Whitman Fellow and participant in the MBL Microbial Diversity course, where she began to establish pink berries as a model system.

Bacteria are among the most diverse lifeforms on Earth, so it’s no surprise that their genomes have yielded a treasure trove of fascinating discoveries. The study of bacterial genomes has led to the discovery of bacterial multicellular immunity, an understanding of unusual forms of metabolism, and even the possibility of tweaking the human microbiome for improved health outcomes. In recent years, researchers have been hard at work developing targeted tools to sequence and genetically modify bacterial genomes, contributing to a burgeoning field of research.

Source: Exploring the World of Bacterial Genomes with Novel Sequencing Methods | The Scientist