Metatranscriptomics is a cutting-edge technology for exploring the gene expression by,and functional activities of,the microbial community across diverse ecosystems at a given time,thereby shedding light on their meta...Metatranscriptomics is a cutting-edge technology for exploring the gene expression by,and functional activities of,the microbial community across diverse ecosystems at a given time,thereby shedding light on their metabolic responses to the prevailing environmental conditions.The double-RNA approach involves the simultaneous analysis of rRNA and mRNA,also termed structural and functional metatranscriptomics.By contrast,mRNA-centered metatranscriptomics is fully focused on elucidating community-wide gene expression profiles,but requires either deep sequencing or effective rRNA depletion.In this review,we critically assess the challenges associated with various experimental and bioinformatic strategies that can be applied in soil microbial ecology through the lens of functional metatranscriptomics.In particular,we demonstrate how recent methodological advancements in soil metatranscriptomics catalyze the development and expansion of emerging research fields,such as rhizobiomes,antibiotic resistomes,methanomes,and viromes.Our review provides a framework that will help to design advanced metatranscriptomic research in elucidating the functional roles and activities of microbiomes in soil ecosystems.展开更多
文摘Metatranscriptomics is a cutting-edge technology for exploring the gene expression by,and functional activities of,the microbial community across diverse ecosystems at a given time,thereby shedding light on their metabolic responses to the prevailing environmental conditions.The double-RNA approach involves the simultaneous analysis of rRNA and mRNA,also termed structural and functional metatranscriptomics.By contrast,mRNA-centered metatranscriptomics is fully focused on elucidating community-wide gene expression profiles,but requires either deep sequencing or effective rRNA depletion.In this review,we critically assess the challenges associated with various experimental and bioinformatic strategies that can be applied in soil microbial ecology through the lens of functional metatranscriptomics.In particular,we demonstrate how recent methodological advancements in soil metatranscriptomics catalyze the development and expansion of emerging research fields,such as rhizobiomes,antibiotic resistomes,methanomes,and viromes.Our review provides a framework that will help to design advanced metatranscriptomic research in elucidating the functional roles and activities of microbiomes in soil ecosystems.
