Dr. Susannah G. Tringe, Metagenome Program Lead, Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (JGI), Walnut Creek, CA USA
The Metagenome Program at the JGI uses cutting-edge sequencing technologies to support microbial community research in the DOE mission areas of energy and environment. We have developed protocols for library construction, sequencing, assembly and annotation that are optimized for metagenomes both simple and complex and apply these to a portfolio of environmental, host-associated and engineered microbial communities. The dramatic increases in sequencing capacity that have come with next-generation technologies allow us to explore these communities at unprecedented depth, revealing key patterns in microbial community composition and enabling reconstruction of ever lower abundance population genomes. In my seminar I will focus on recent insights into the complex communities found in soil, rhizosphere and wetlands.