Think of phylogenetic diversity as all of the separate branches growing from the main “trunk” of the Tree of Life. “Most of these separate branches within the bacteria and archaea have not yet been sampled in regard to genome sequencing” said Eisen.To expand the genomic sampling of bacterial and microbial diversity, Eisen and others at the DOE JGI developed the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea (GEBA) to fill in the genomic gaps in the tree of life. Also participating in this work were researchers from many institutions including multiple DOE National Laboratories and the German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures (DSMZ).According to Eisen, “GEBA does not focus on specific organisms or processes, but instead represents a way to build a framework of diversity.” By understanding microbe diversity as a whole, the scientific community can better understand microbes of scientific importance.
Read more about the project at the Office of Science’s site.