Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The study of the structure and function of nucleotide sequences isolated directly from an environmental sample, especially of a community of microorganisms.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun genetics The study of genomes recovered from environmental samples; especially the differentiation of genomes from multiple organisms or individuals, either in a symbiotic relationship, or at a crime scene.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From meta- + genomics.

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Examples

  • Hugenholtz says that metagenomics is grappling with the problem of having too much information and too few references.

    Gut Reactions 2008

  • Hugenholtz says that metagenomics is grappling with the problem of having too much information and too few references.

    Gut Reactions 2008

  • Sequencing DNA directly from the environment, a technique commonly referred to as metagenomics, is an important tool for cataloging microbial life.

    PLoS ONE Alerts: New Articles Jenna L. Morgan et al. 2010

  • Sequencing DNA directly from the environment, a technique commonly referred to as metagenomics, is an important tool for cataloging microbial life.

    PLoS ONE Alerts: New Articles Jenna L. Morgan et al. 2010

  • D. audaxviator was captured and its unusual genome sequenced and analyzed using the techniques of environmental genomics, also called metagenomics, by scientists from the U.S.

    SpaceRef Top Stories 2008

  • A sampling of the entire DNA of microbes (known as metagenomics) revealed some 332,000 gene sequences, or about 100 times more than was found in previous studies of skin bacteria.

    Medlogs - Recent stories 2008

  • Advances in DNA sequencing technologies now allow whole genomes to be covered, thus creating the new academic field of 'metagenomics'.

    DrugResearcher RSS 2009

  • Advances in DNA sequencing technologies now allow whole genomes to be covered, thus creating the new academic field of 'metagenomics'.

    DrugResearcher RSS 2009

  • Advances in DNA sequencing technologies now allow whole genomes to be covered, thus creating the new academic field of 'metagenomics'.

    DrugResearcher RSS 2009

  • Advances in DNA sequencing technologies now allow whole genomes to be covered, thus creating the new academic field of 'metagenomics'.

    DrugResearcher RSS 2009

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