Next-Generation DNA-Based Approaches for Comprehensive Assessment of Marine Communities

摘要

Biodiversity analysis is key to ecological biomonitoring in any environmental assessment program. Conventional taxonomic methods lack the speed, sensitivity, accuracy and robustness required for executing comprehensive biodiversity analysis especially in remote marine environments. Recent advances in molecular biology and bioinformatics have made DNA sequences a major source of information for biodiversity analysis. Taxonomically validated reference libraries of standardized species-specific sequences—DNA barcodes—are being assembled as part of large-scale initiatives such as International Barcode of Life Consortium. Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies provide the capacity to analyze environmental DNA from various types of samples and read biodiversity across all domains of life from bacteria to higher eukaryotes directly from environmental samples.