Medical & Clinical Microbiology

Microbial genomes & Physiology

During the past 10 years, genomics-based approaches have had a profound impact on the field of microbiology and our understanding of microbial species. Because of their larger genome sizes, genome sequencing efforts on fungi and unicellular eukaryotes were slower to get started than projects focused on prokaryotes; however, today there are a number of genome sequences available from both of these groups of organisms that have led to significant improvements in overall sequence annotation and also shed considerable light on novel aspects of their biology. According to the World Health Organization more than 1 million people acquire a sexually transmitted infection (STI) every day and an estimated 500 million people become ill with Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis or trichomoniasis every year. Approximately 40% of the bacterial species that have been targeted for genome analysis represent important human pathogens. Approximately 40% of the bacterial species that have been targeted for genome analysis represent important human pathogens. Using a whole-genome shotgun approach, Tyson et al. (2004) were able to reconstruct two almost complete genome sequences of Leptospirillum group II and Ferro plasma type II and the partial sequence of three other species from a low-complexity acid mine drainage biofilm growing underground within a pyrite ore body.