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The microbial ocean from genomes to biomes

Nature volume 459, pages 200–206 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Numerically, microbial species dominate the oceans, yet their population dynamics, metabolic complexity and synergistic interactions remain largely uncharted. A full understanding of life in the ocean requires more than knowledge of marine microbial taxa and their genome sequences. The latest experimental techniques and analytical approaches can provide a fresh perspective on the biological interactions within marine ecosystems, aiding in the construction of predictive models that can interrelate microbial dynamics with the biogeochemical matter and energy fluxes that make up the ocean ecosystem.

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Figure 1: The intersection of traditional disciplines and metagenomics.
Figure 2: Transcriptome sequencing protocol for marine microbial assemblages.
Figure 3: Quantifying microbial responses to environmental variability using environmental transcriptomics.
Figure 4: The network instructions encoded in microbial genomes drive ecosystem processes.

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Acknowledgements

I thank my current and former students, colleagues and co-workers for sharing their ideas, insights, enthusiasm and inspiration. Work in my laboratory is supported by grants from the US National Science Foundation, the US Department of Energy, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the Agouron Institute. This article is a contribution from the NSF Science and Technology Center, and the Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education.

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  1. Departments of Biological Engineering and Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, 02139, Massachusetts, USA

    Edward F. DeLong

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DeLong, E. The microbial ocean from genomes to biomes. Nature 459, 200–206 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature08059

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