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Marine Microbial Systems Ecology: Microbial Networks in the Sea

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Abstract

Next-generation sequencing of DNA has revolutionized microbial ecology. Using this technology, it became for the first time possible to analyze hundreds of samples simultaneously and in great detail. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, metagenomics and metatranscriptomics became available to determine the diversity and activity of microbial communities. Moreover, the huge amount of data that is obtained made it possible to build statistically significant networks from which ecological (or metabolic) interactions amongst microbes and between microbes and their environment could be inferred. Here I give an overview of the use of next-generation sequencing and network analysis in marine microbial ecology.

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Acknowledgments

The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) under grant agreement no 311975. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the European Union cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. Gerard Muyzer is financially supported by the Research Priority Area Systems Biology of the University of Amsterdam. Muhe Diao is acknowledged for calculating the co-occurrence network, and Tim Bush for correcting the English.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Microbial Systems Ecology, Department of Aquatic Microbiology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Gerard Muyzer

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  1. Gerard Muyzer
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Correspondence to Gerard Muyzer .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Royal Neth. Inst. f. Sea Res., University of Amsterdam, Yerseke, The Netherlands

    Lucas J. Stal

  2. Royal Neth. Inst. f. Sea Research, University of Amsterdam, Yerseke, The Netherlands

    Mariana Silvia Cretoiu

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Muyzer, G. (2016). Marine Microbial Systems Ecology: Microbial Networks in the Sea. In: Stal, L., Cretoiu, M. (eds) The Marine Microbiome. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33000-6_12

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