Dividing oceans into pools: strategies for the global analysis of bacterial genes.
In bacterial pathogenesis, it is often easy to accept the results of large-scale screens without independent verification of the results. How can one critically read this literature? Here we review issues inherent in genome-wide screens in bacteria, focusing on experiments that attempt to comprehensively identify genes required for bacterial growth under specific conditions. Our analysis suggests that the methodologies employed undoubtedly shape the results. It is clear, however, that the question is not which method is better but which provides the data most suited to a given question.
Fortune
Sarah M
SM
Division of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. sfortune@hsph.harvard.edu
Chase
Michael R
MR
Rubin
Eric J
EJ
D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D015723:Gene Library; D020043:Genes, Essential; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional / Q000379:methods
D004251:DNA Transposable Elements