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Community => Science and Technology => Topic started by: Vene on January 07, 2012, 12:08:14 pm

Title: Sequence EVERYTHING!
Post by: Vene on January 07, 2012, 12:08:14 pm
I found this (http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.1001177) over at PLoS Biology, titled "A Holistic Approach to Marine Eco-Systems Biology" by the people over at the Earth Microbiome Project. (http://www.earthmicrobiome.org/) They are quite mad. They have the goal of sequencing the genome of every single species of microorganism (archaea, bacteria, protista, virus, even animals) on the planet. This is only possible due to new technology, metagenomic sequencing. They are able to grab a sample and concurrently sequence the genomes of every organism in the sample at the same time.

The paper in particular talks about their approach for grabbing samples from the ocean (during a 3 year expedition) and the methods they are using to determine the character of the microbiome. Not just the genes, but also the aggregate metabolism and modeling the ecosystems.

In summary, a very ambitious and awesome goal which uses very intricate and multidisciplinary methods which should greatly improve our understanding of life on Earth.
Title: Re: Sequence EVERYTHING!
Post by: Old Viking on January 07, 2012, 09:14:49 pm
What's in it for me?
Title: Re: Sequence EVERYTHING!
Post by: StallChaser on January 08, 2012, 06:27:02 am
What's in it for me?

Breakthroughs in medical research (live longer), materials (cool toys), and most importantly, kittens that glow in the dark.  And stay kittens.
Title: Re: Sequence EVERYTHING!
Post by: MaybeNever on January 09, 2012, 02:10:44 pm
What's in it for me?

Breakthroughs in medical research (live longer), materials (cool toys), and most importantly, kittens that glow in the dark.  And stay kittens.

Yeah, but how does it hurt people? That's what I want to see. Is it explosions? We can't use "medicine" to invade Iran!
Title: Re: Sequence EVERYTHING!
Post by: Vene on January 09, 2012, 02:23:33 pm
What's in it for me?

Breakthroughs in medical research (live longer), materials (cool toys), and most importantly, kittens that glow in the dark.  And stay kittens.

Yeah, but how does it hurt people? That's what I want to see. Is it explosions? We can't use "medicine" to invade Iran!
Don't worry, there is often very little difference between medicine and poison.
Title: Re: Sequence EVERYTHING!
Post by: Napoleon the Clown on January 10, 2012, 02:53:29 am
A better understanding of medicine helps make a better poison. Yeah, a lay person can break something. But someone who knows how it works can break it so much harder.
Title: Re: Sequence EVERYTHING!
Post by: Søren on January 10, 2012, 03:51:36 am
Oh man this is so cool. I hope I get to work on a project like this one day