Exploring Bacterial Branches of the Tree of Life
In an ambitious "phylogenomics" project, TIGR scientists have received an NSF grant to use whole genome sequence analysis to better understand the phylogenetic relationships among major bacterial groups.
Rockville, MD -- The power of genome sequencing will be harnessed to better understand the bacterial branches of the Tree of Life as part of a research project led by scientists at The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR).
The TIGR "phylogenomics" project, which will integrate genomic and phylogenetic studies, is one segment of the National Science Foundation's "Assembling the Tree of Life" program, announced this week.
TIGR's three-year, $2.48 million project - in collaboration with Dr. Frank Robb of the Center of Marine Biotechnology in Baltimore - involves sequencing the complete genomes of representative strains of eight bacterial phyla. Each phylum represents a major branch in the "Tree of Life" and the phyla that were selected (Chrysiogenetes, Deferribacteres, Dictyoglomus, Nitrospira, Coprothermobacter, Synergistes, Thermodesulfobacteria, and Thermomicrobium) have not yet been explored using whole genome sequencing.
The first complete genome sequence of a free-living organism was determined at TIGR in 1995. In the years since then, complete genome sequences have been determined for a wide diversity of species including bacterial pathogens, extremophiles, protistan parasites, plants, animals, and fungi. While these include representatives from each of the three major branches in the tree of life (the Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya) only a limited subset of each of these groups has been studied. In particular, despite the vast diversity of bacterial species and their importance as pathogens and the foundation of many ecosystems, many major groups have been neglected.
TIGR researchers led by Jonathan Eisen, Naomi Ward and Karen Nelson are aiming to fill some of the gaps in our knowledge in the bacterial domain. The TIGR project's main goal is to utilize the power of genome sequencing and analysis methods to improve the understanding of the complex phylogenetic relationships among major bacterial phyla. The project also aims to provide information and resources that will allow scientists to examine the evolutionary relationships within these poorly understood phyla in more depth than is now possible.
"A more complete representation of bacterial genomic diversity will provide a clearer picture of evolutionary relationships within the bacteria, and how specific characteristics evolved - such as photosynthesis, the ability to live at high temperatures, or the ability to live without oxygen," said Ward.
TIGR is one of about 25 institutions that will be exploring various branches of the Tree of Life - from spiders to fungi to dinosaurs - as part of the NSF's $17 million Assembling the Tree of Life research program.