Genomes of 201 microbes sequenced (BBC)
By Rebecca Morelle
Science reporter, BBC World Service
The genetic secrets of some of the most abundant and diverse forms of life on Earth have been uncovered by scientists.
Researchers have sequenced the genomes of 201 microbes to find out more about the role these tiny, single-celled organisms play in our environment.
This insight into the genetic code has also helped the team to draw up a more detailed version of the microbial family tree.
The work is published in Nature.
Phil Hugenholtz, director of the Australian Centre for Ecogenomics at the University of Queensland, in Australia, said: "For almost 20 years now we have been astonished by how little there is known about massive regions of the tree of life. This project is the first systematic effort to address this enormous knowledge gap.
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more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23286933
full article: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature12352.html