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Aerial metagenomics is a groundbreaking approach to studying microbial DNA in the air. Unlike traditional methods, it eliminates the need for isolating species and enables rapid and efficient pathogen surveillance. It has far reaching consequences for fields such as such as environmental pollution study, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, evolutionary biology, diagnostics, forensic science, and molecular biology.
Metagenomics is when genome sequencing is done in natural habitat of the organism, instead of studying its culture in a lab.
Aerial metagenomics means study of DNA of organisms in their natural habitat through samples collected from the air. This is because aerosols or airborne particles contain microbial communities which contain traces of DNA of various organisms.
Through Aerial Metagenomics wide range of microorganisms can be detected including Bacteria, Virus, Fungi, pollen etc.
Traditional Metagenomics typically focuses on analyzing microbial communities in soil, water, or the human body while Aerial Metagenomics targets airborne microorganisms and particles.
Genome sequencing is the practice of studying the genetic composition of organisms. This genetic material is contained in the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). DNA is made up of biological building blocks called nucleotides. The information in DNA is stored as a code made up of four chemical bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). Sequencing of DNA means determining the order of these four chemical building blocks. The order determines the information available for building and maintaining an organism like about reproduction, functioning and growth. This is usually done by isolating each organism and studying it in labs. However this is a very time consuming, intensive, prone to error process. As the COVID 19 pandemic affected the world, it became harder to use the traditional sequencing methods. Hence there was need for new techniques and aerial metagenomics brought a paradigm shift in how we identify, monitor, and respond to emerging pathogens.
Metagenomics is when genome sequencing is done in natural habitat of the organism, instead of studying its culture in a lab. And aerial metagenomics means study of DNA of organisms in their natural habitat through samples collected from the air. This is because aerosols or airborne particles contain microbial communities which contain traces of DNA of various organisms. While, in the past, studying ecosystems for signs of change has needed lots of boots on the ground even then it was hard to track animal genomics, while plants were simpler. This is where aerial metagenomics comes in and has revolutionised the study of nature.
Aerial metagenomics,studying airborne microbes’ DNA, emerges as a powerful weapon for future pandemic preparedness. Through this we get a panoramic view of microbial communities across vast distances. It can even monitor key animal species which are on the move (e.g. migratory birds). It will help detect zoonotic diseases which will spill over human populations. This allows for early pathogen identification and impact assessment, enabling swift public health measures and targeted response strategies. This extends beyond immediate threats, enabling innovation due to the high amounts of data processed.
Looking ahead, the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms in the analysis of metagenomic data holds immense potential for predictive modeling and forecasting, enhancing our ability to anticipate and mitigate the threats posed by evolving pathogens.
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