Over 42% of bacterial genomes remain unrecorded

Researchers have found that a large number of microbes still lack genetic data. Despite advances in technology, about 42% of bacteria do not have genome information available in public databases. This new study, published in Science Advances, examined over 1.8 million bacterial and archaeal genomes. The researchers discovered that while many genomes have been sequenced, only a fraction of microbial diversity has been captured. Bacterial species isolated and sequenced make up about 9.73% of the known microbial diversity, whereas around 49% comes from metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs). For archaea, just 6.55% of biodiversity is documented in isolated genomes, while 57% is from MAGs. This means that 36% of archaea remain completely unrepresented. Microbes are important for human health, agriculture, and global nutrient cycles. They can affect diseases and influence climate change. While recent studies have improved our understanding, much more research is needed to explore microbial diversity. The authors of the study emphasized the need to cultivate new microbial species. They also noted that the analyzed datasets could guide scientists in recovering new isolates from environmental samples. This creates a metaphorical "treasure map" to highlight areas where further exploration is required.