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A New Species
The one bacteria most everyone is familiar with, and maybe without even knowing they are...Clostridium difficile. This diarrhea causing bacteria, C. difficile, may be splitting into two. Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute have just completed a large scale research project evaluating this pesky little bug with specific concern to its presence within hospital environments. This study involved sequencing the DNA of 906 strains of C. difficile collected across 33 countries, and as a result of this collective effort, scientists suggest that a new bacterial species is emerging, which is currently known as C. difficile clade A.
This potential new species was found in 70% of samples collected in hospital patients and of course one of the key differences in C. difficile clade A is its resistance to hospital disinfectants. It is clear that DNA sequencing is elucidating the seemingly infinite number of micro-environments that exist in our world today. It is no secret that the word "microbiome" is all the buzz in our circles recently and for good reason. As technology increases and cost decreases, we are discovering just how much our world is influenced by the bacteria that surrounds us everyday. Microbiology, Ecology, Immunology, Agricultural Science, Citizen Science etc. the list could go on and on with regards to the research areas that are growing as a result of DNA Sequencing. Speciation events such as the one discoverd in Clostridium difficile is just one example as to how the power of DNA sequencing is making large scal research studies possible.
Reference:
Sanger. Diarrhoea-causing bacteria adapted to spread in hospitals. Retrieved from https://www.sanger.ac.uk/news/view/diarrhoea-causing-bacteria-adapted-spread-hospitals