“Better Measurement of the Microbiome by Statistical Modeling of High-throughput Sequencing”

Dr. Benjamin Callahan
Department of Population Health and Pathobiology
North Carolina State University

Abstract

Long read assemblies from PacBio have produced megabase-sized contigs and complete or ‘closed’ population genomes for the dominant species in community. Furthermore, we show that taxon-specific patterns of DNA methylation (from restriction-modification systems) can be used to bin unidentified sequence fragments to distinct species. Long read data facilitates discovery of horizontal gene transfers and novel population level structural variants in uncultured bacteria, including transposes, CRISPRs, and prophage. These assemblies have facilitated our analysis of this sulfur cycling symbiosis: in the genome of the sulfate-reducing bacterium in the consortia, we discovered a horizontally transferred genomic island containing a light-sensitive sodium pumping rhodopsin – the first report of phototrophy in a sulfate-reducing bacterium.

This event is hosted by Dr. Manuel Kleiner and will be held in the Stephens Room, 3508 Thomas Hall at 4:00 pm. Refreshments will be served at 3:45 pm.