Bioinformatics (2013/2014)

Essay on Next Generation Sequencing and Metagenomics

Task description

Write a short essay (roughly 2+2 pages long) introducing next generation sequenceing and , and discussing their connection, i.e. how next generation sequencing is used as a key technology in metagenomics.

  1. The essay should start with a short introduction to a couple of the main next generation sequencing platforms and some of the challenges that arise in the interpretation of data from these. Focus either on:

    or

  2. Metagenomics is a technique where microorganisms are studied by sequencing DNA directly from a sample. This means that single individual organisms are ignored. Instead, metagenomics investigates the entire genetic composition of a community of microorganisms. Samples typically studied in metagenomics includemicroorganisms in soil, bacteria in he human gut, for example from both healthy or sick patient(s). Discuss metagenomics, its dependence on next generation DNA sequencing and the challenges in analyzing the resulting metagenomic data. Identify also (at least) one application of metagenomics and next generation sequencing and give a brief summary of it (them).

References

Start your reading with the following papers:

All of these papers can be accessed from within the "chalmers.se" domain.

Cheating/Plagiarism

You should be aware of these guidelines: Academic Honesty and Integity at Chalmers.

Hand-in and deadline

Send your essay as a PDF file to marbuo@chalmers.se and kemp@chalmers.se before 17:00 on Monday 3 March 2014. Ensure that your name is included in the document.


Last Modified: 12 February 2014 by Graham Kemp