Published In
Nature Microbiology
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2020
Subjects
Genomes -- research, Microorganisms -- nomenclature
Abstract
The assembly of single-amplified genomes (SAGs) and metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) has led to a surge in genome-based discoveries of members affiliated with Archaea and Bacteria, bringing with it a need to develop guidelines for nomenclature of uncultivated microorganisms. The International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (ICNP) only recognizes cultures as ‘type material’, thereby preventing the naming of uncultivated organisms. In this Consensus Statement, we propose two potential paths to solve this nomenclatural conundrum. One option is the adoption of previously proposed modifications to the ICNP to recognize DNA sequences as acceptable type material; the other option creates a nomenclatural code for uncultivated Archaea and Bacteria that could eventually be merged with the ICNP in the future. Regardless of the path taken, we believe that action is needed now within the scientific community to develop consistent rules for nomenclature of uncultivated taxa in order to provide clarity and stability, and to effectively communicate microbial diversity.
Rights
© The Author(s) 2020
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Locate the Document
DOI
10.1038/s41564-020-0733-x
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/33119
Citation Details
Murray, A.E., Freudenstein, J., Gribaldo, S. et al. Roadmap for naming uncultivated Archaea and Bacteria. Nat Microbiol (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-020-0733-x