title: From bacterial genomics to metagenomics: concept, tools and recent advances.
abstract: In the last 20 years, the applications of genomics tools have completely transformed the field of microbial research. This has primarily happened due to revolution in sequencing technologies that have become available today. This review therefore, first describes the discoveries, upgradation and automation of sequencing techniques in a chronological order, followed by a brief discussion on microbial genomics. Some of the recently sequenced bacterial genomes are described to explain how complete genome data is now being used to derive interesting findings. Apart from the genomics of individual microbes, the study of unculturable microbiota from different environments is increasingly gaining importance. The second section is thus dedicated to the concept of metagenomics describing environmental DNA isolation, metagenomic library construction and screening methods to look for novel and potentially important genes, enzymes and biomolecules. It also deals with the pioneering studies in the area of metagenomics that are offering new insights into the previously unappreciated microbial world.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110 007 India.
authors.forename: Pooja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Hansi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kumari
authors.forename: Mukesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Mansi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: Kirti
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kumari
authors.forename: Shweta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Malhotra
authors.forename: Jitendra
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Khurana
authors.forename: Rup
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lal
keywords: Genomics; Metagenomics