Marine biologist Rebecca Vega Thurber leads a genomic exploration revealing thousands of previously unknown, reef-specific bacteria
A team of scientists, including marine biologist Rebecca Vega Thurber, director of the Marine Science Institute, has discovered a vast array of previously unknown bioactive metabolites within coral reef microbiomes. During the Tara Pacific expedition, the researchers reconstructed over 13,000 microbial genomes, identifying 3,700 new bacteria specific to their coral hosts.
These discoveries hold immense biotechnological potential, providing the basis for new antibiotics, cancer therapies, and synthetic industrial materials. “Coral reefs are doing really badly right now," Thurber said. "We really wanted a better understanding of what these creatures are capable of and what we could potentially be missing when they’re destroyed.” Read the full story on The Current.
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