title: Metagenomics and novel gene discovery: promise and potential for novel therapeutics.
abstract: Metagenomics provides a means of assessing the total genetic pool of all the microbes in a particular environment, in a culture-independent manner. It has revealed unprecedented diversity in microbial community composition, which is further reflected in the encoded functional diversity of the genomes, a large proportion of which consists of novel genes. Herein, we review both sequence-based and functional metagenomic methods to uncover novel genes and outline some of the associated problems of each type of approach, as well as potential solutions. Furthermore, we discuss the potential for metagenomic biotherapeutic discovery, with a particular focus on the human gut microbiome and finally, we outline how the discovery of novel genes may be used to create bioengineered probiotics.
authors: Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre; University College Cork; Cork, Ireland; School of Microbiology; University College Cork; Cork, Ireland.
authors: Eamonn P
authors: EP
authors: Culligan
authors: Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre; University College Cork; Cork, Ireland; Department of Biological Sciences; Cork Institute of Technology; Bishopstown, Cork, Ireland.
authors: Roy D
authors: RD
authors: Sleator
authors: Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre; University College Cork; Cork, Ireland; Cardiff School of Biosciences; Cardiff University; Cardiff, UK; Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology; Imperial College London; London, UK.
authors: Julian R
authors: JR
authors: Marchesi
authors: Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre; University College Cork; Cork, Ireland; School of Microbiology; University College Cork; Cork, Ireland.
authors: Colin
authors: C
authors: Hill
mesh_terms: D001688:Biological Products / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000379:methods*; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D056726:Genetic Association Studies / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D054892:Metagenome; D056186:Metagenomics / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products
keywords: bioengineered probiotics; biotherapeutics; functional metagenomics; gut microbiome; metabiotechnology; metagenomics; microbiota; novel gene discovery