Actinobacteria are ubiquitously distributed in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and have developed diverse lifestyles, as well free living as in association with a wide variety of eukaryotes. Next to Proteobacteria and Firmicutes, Actinobacteria constitute the third most populated phylum among the Bacteria. This project calls for sequencing the genomes of 1,000 environmental isolates (type and reference strains) of Actinobacteria and to systematically screen the functions. For example, researchers want to search in these genome sequences for genes encoding the enzymes for the synthesis of novel natural products and genes encoding cellulose degraders. The team expects that this expansion of the genomic coverage of the Actinobacteria will also help researchers resolve the diversity, evolutionary history and taxonomy of the phylum.
Proposers Names: Hans-Peter Klenk,University of Newcastle (UK); Markus Goker, DSMZ (Germany)