A metagenomic framework for the study of airborne microbial communities

PLoS One. 2013 Dec 11;8(12):e81862. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0081862. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Understanding the microbial content of the air has important scientific, health, and economic implications. While studies have primarily characterized the taxonomic content of air samples by sequencing the 16S or 18S ribosomal RNA gene, direct analysis of the genomic content of airborne microorganisms has not been possible due to the extremely low density of biological material in airborne environments. We developed sampling and amplification methods to enable adequate DNA recovery to allow metagenomic profiling of air samples collected from indoor and outdoor environments. Air samples were collected from a large urban building, a medical center, a house, and a pier. Analyses of metagenomic data generated from these samples reveal airborne communities with a high degree of diversity and different genera abundance profiles. The identities of many of the taxonomic groups and protein families also allows for the identification of the likely sources of the sampled airborne bacteria.

MeSH terms

  • Air Microbiology*
  • Bacteria / classification
  • Bacteria / genetics*
  • Biodiversity
  • DNA, Bacterial / classification
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics*
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Genes, rRNA
  • Metagenomics
  • Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques*
  • Phylogeny*
  • Principal Component Analysis
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / classification
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics*

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S

Grants and funding

Funding for this work was provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.