Prokaryotic taxonomy and nomenclature in the age of big sequence data
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Open Access
- 6 April 2021
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in The ISME Journal
- Vol. 15 (7), 1879-1892
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41396-021-00941-x
Abstract
The classification of life forms into a hierarchical system (taxonomy) and the application of names to this hierarchy (nomenclature) is at a turning point in microbiology. The unprecedented availability of genome sequences means that a taxonomy can be built upon a comprehensive evolutionary framework, a longstanding goal of taxonomists. However, there is resistance to adopting a single framework to preserve taxonomic freedom, and ever increasing numbers of genomes derived from uncultured prokaryotes threaten to overwhelm current nomenclatural practices, which are based on characterised isolates. The challenge ahead then is to reach a consensus on the taxonomic framework and to adapt and scale the existing nomenclatural code, or create a new code, to systematically incorporate uncultured taxa into the chosen framework.Keywords
Funding Information
- Australian Research Council (ARC) Laureate Fellowship
- ARC Discovery Early Career Research Award
- Australian Research Council (ARC) Laureate Fellowship
- ARC Discovery Early Career Research Award
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