Introduction to Metagenomics

Introduction to Metagenomics Course Overview

Metagenomics is the study of genetic information shared by microbiological communities. Through sequencing technology (Next Generation Sequencing or NGS) it is now possible to align, map and annotate genomes to a reference database in order to begin to understand factors that regulate behaviors and interactions among these microbial communities. The information we collect studying bacteria, archaea, microbial eukaryotes, and viruses found in these habitats provide examples of how the collective and often complex genotypes sustain life within these ecological communities.

The genetic makeup of organisms within a microbiome suggests that complex communities of microorganisms collectively influence Biological stability of an ecosystem. The microbes living around, on, and within the human body (outnumbering the cells of the human body by 10 to 1) are also widely distributed, complex and dynamic communities that have a profound influence on human health, disease, and physiology (see reference). These communities also surround plant roots and can help fight off harmful bacteria and create a layer the plant roots rely on to grow and extract useful minerals from the soil. Our understanding of the microbiome function and ways to analyze these communities can help us treat disease, improve human health and wellbeing, and even identify ways to improve or protect crop production.

Goals

In this course, you will be familiarized with the way microbiomes influence their hosts and compose a unique community we can study using next-generation sequencing. Introduction to Metagenomics will describe the process of sequencing of the bacterial 16S genomic region.  Using the sequential processing of a metagenomics analysis pipeline, you will be able to make comparisons between samples and a reference database.  After this course, we recommend completing Metagenomics 1.

Reference: https://www.bcm.edu/departments/molecular-virology-and-microbiology/research/the-human-microbiome-project