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Taking metagenomics under the wings

Nature Reviews Microbiology (2022)Cite this article

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This Genome Watch highlights how metagenomics can fill the knowledge gap of the wild avian gut microbiome and enable the early detection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria with implications for public health policy and conservation management.

Birds are found in almost all habitats including the Arctic and are hosts to a wide range of microorganisms living in their guts, which aid in host immunity and nutrient utilization. Much of what we know about birds and their gut microorganisms is based on studies from agriculturally important birds such as chickens, whereas wild birds and their gut microorganisms are still flying under the radar. In recent years, the spotlight on wild birds as hosts for antibiotic-resistant bacteria has made it an urgent public health concern to fill the knowledge gap in our understanding of wild birds’ gut microbiome1. Currently, 16S rRNA is the predominant technique used in bird microbiome research, limiting our ability to compare the absolute abundance of bacteria found within or across species. Functional predictions of microbial genes such as antibiotic resistance are also unreliable, resulting in researchers seeking new ways to overcome these limitations.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK

    Physilia Ying Shi Chua

  2. Laboratory of Genomics and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Jacob Agerbo Rasmussen

  3. Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, Globe Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Jacob Agerbo Rasmussen

Authors
  1. Physilia Ying Shi Chua
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  2. Jacob Agerbo Rasmussen
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Correspondence to Physilia Ying Shi Chua.

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Chua, P.Y.S., Rasmussen, J.A. Taking metagenomics under the wings. Nat Rev Microbiol (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-022-00746-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-022-00746-5

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