Metagenomics is a relatively new but fast growing field within environmental biology directed at obtaining knowledge on genomes of environmental microbes as well as of entire microbial communities. With the sequencing technologies improving steadily, generating large amounts of sequence is becoming routine. However, it remains difficult to connect specific microbial phyla to specific functions in the environment. A number of 'functional metagenomics' approaches have been implemented in the recent years that allow high-resolution genomic analysis of uncultivated microbes, connecting them to specific functions in the environment. These include analysis of niche-specialized low complexity communities, reactor enrichments, and the use labeling technologies. Metatranscriptomics and metaproteomics are the newest sub-disciplines within the metagenomics field that provide further levels of resolution for functional analysis of uncultivated microbes and communities. The recent emergence of new (next generation) sequencing technologies, resulting in higher sequence output and dramatic drop in the price of sequencing, will be defining a new era in metagenomics. At this time the sequencing effort will be taken to a new level to allow addressing new, previously unattainable biological questions as well as accelerating genome-based discovery for medical and biotechnological applications.

中文翻译：

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功能宏基因组学：最新进展和未来挑战。

元基因组学是环境生物学中一个相对较新但发展迅速的领域，旨在获得有关环境微生物以及整个微生物群落的基因组知识。随着测序技术的不断提高，生成大量序列已成为日常工作。但是，将特定的微生物门与环境中的特定功能联系起来仍然很困难。近年来已经实施了许多“功能宏基因组学”方法，这些方法可以对未培养的微生物进行高分辨率的基因组分析，并将其与环境中的特定功能联系起来。这些包括对利基专业低复杂性社区的分析，反应堆浓缩和使用标签技术。元转录组学和元蛋白质组学是宏基因组学领域中最新的子学科，它们为未培养的微生物和群落的功能分析提供了更高的分辨率。新的（下一代）测序技术的出现，导致更高的序列输出和测序价格的急剧下降，将定义宏基因组学的新时代。此时，测序工作将带入一个新的水平，以解决以前无法实现的新生物学问题，并加快用于医学和生物技术应用的基于基因组的发现。导致更高的序列输出和测序价格的大幅下降，将定义宏基因组学的新纪元。此时，测序工作将带入一个新的水平，以解决以前无法实现的新生物学问题，并加快用于医学和生物技术应用的基于基因组的发现。导致更高的序列输出和测序价格的大幅下降，将定义宏基因组学的新纪元。此时，测序工作将带入一个新的水平，以解决以前无法实现的新生物学问题，并加快用于医学和生物技术应用的基于基因组的发现。