PCR and ‘omics based techniques for the study of anaerobic fungi

Recently an international team of 15 anaerobic fungal experts, representing 12 different research organisations, published a review focussed on the application of PCR and ‘omics based techniques to the study of anaerobic fungal diversity, ecology and biology.

The team, all members of the Anaerobic Fungal Network, highlighted that the true extent of anaerobic fungal diversity may be even more extensively underestimated than previously thought, and that there was a need to explore the fundamental differences that underpinned their ability to exist in distinct ecological niches and different environments. Application of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics were considered to be invaluable in this process although several challenges needed to be addressed, particularly the limited functional annotation of sequence data.

This open access review (and the associated supporting information) can be accessed here