For years, researchers have known that many datasets miss a key part of microbial genomes: the mobile genetic elements, or MGEs, that can move between organisms. But now, deep sequencing and new analysis methods are bringing this mobilome into light, and opening up new options for engineering these microbes in the future. Join Sarah Bagby (Case Western Reserve University) and Simon Roux (JGI) as they talk about their recent work on a time series from Sweden’s Stordalen Mire. 

Nature Microbiology: Mobile genetic elements shape microbial diversity and functions in thawing permafrost soils

Episode chapters:

0:00 Intro

4:10 Meet our researchers, and MGEs

6:34 The galaxy of possibilities that MGEs open

8:15 Why MGEs have escaped analysis before

11:06 How a long time series gives a clearer look at MGEs

14:10 Stordalen Mire, a dynamic sample site

17:37 What they did, and what they saw 

25:47 Pieces — like the JGI’s sequencing support — that enabled this

28:55 How this work fits in with JGI’s upcoming projects

31:39 Next questions they’d like to answer

Another episode on a time series: The Megadata of Lake Mendota — Part 3: Boating Out to David Buoy

Submit your own proposal to work with the JGI: http://jointgeno.me/proposals 

Episode Transcript: https://jgi.doe.gov//user-science/podcasts/mobilome-mire

Our contact info: jgi-comms at lbl dot gov