ACCESSING MICROBIAL DIVERSITY BY ECOLOGICAL METHODS

摘要

Methods for enriching a microbial population from a natural environment, such as an oligotrophic environment (e.g., aquatic, marine, extreme or geothermal) are described. Also described are methods for screening for bioactive small molecules in an enriched microbial population. Previously uncultivated microorganisms can be cultured, isolated and their nucleic acids identified by methods described herein. Methods also describe phylogenetic characterization of enriched microbial populations.