科科學人

Nature Biotechnology 27, 627 - 632 (2009)
Published online: 8 July 2009 | doi:10.1038/nbt.1552

Fifteen years of microbial genomics: meeting the challenges and fulfilling the dream

微生物基因體學15年的發展：跨越障礙、迎向未來

Nikos C Kyrpides

目前已經有超過1000種的微生物完成基因解碼，而微生物基因體學也因此面臨到一個相當關鍵的抉擇時刻。

無論是微生物學本身，或是其他相關的科學，未來都必將從目前的微生物學的重大研究進展之中獲得啟示。

為了迎向微生物學發展的嶄新時代，我們必須對目前生物科技發展所帶來的新挑戰有所了解，並正視生物序列資料爆炸性成長的問題。

這些新的科技為我們的生命科學帶來了歷史性的重大突破，也引起了相當程度的挑戰與革命議題。

初起10年內的基因體學發展，為基因體定序計劃確立了主要的研究目標與方法論，包含：決定生物基因體定序的優先順序、統一基因體序列與其註解的發表格式、資料分析的程式開發與資料庫的成立。

因此，時至今日，微生物學家在這些嶄新工具與研究策略的基礎奠定之下，對我們所居住的地球展開前所未有的微生物探勘之旅。

As we approach the completed sequencing of 1,000 microbial genomes, the field of microbial genomics is poised at a crossroads. The future holds great promise for far-reaching advancements in microbiology as well as in diverse, related sciences. But realizing that potential will require meeting the challenges that have accompanied the rapid development of the underlying technology and the exponential growth of data. New technologies provide unprecedented opportunities but also call for conceptual shifts. Experience gained in the first decade of genomics can guide the improved approaches now needed for the selection of genome sequencing projects and their funding, for genome publication and annotation, as well as for data analysis and access. Equipped with these new tools and policies, microbiologists will have a unique opportunity for unprecedented exploration of our microbial planet.

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