Genetic material, comprising DNA or RNA, serves as the blueprint of life, containing unique instructions for an organism’s traits. The genome encompasses all the genetic material within a cell. Genomics and metagenomics are two approaches to studying genomes, crucial in disease diagnosis and drug discovery. However, they differ in methodology and benefits.
The key difference between genomics and metagenomics is their scope of analysis. Genomics explores the complete genetic information of a single organism, while metagenomics explores a mixture of DNA from multiple organisms and entities like viruses, viroids, and free DNA.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Genomics
3. What is Metagenomics
4. Similarities – Genomics and Metagenomics
5. Genomics vs Metagenomics in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Genomics vs Metagenomics
7. FAQ: Genomics and Metagenomics
What is Genomics?
Genomics is the study of the genome of an organism and how the information in the genome is applied. The genome is made up mostly of DNA and contains the genetic material. In contrast to genetics, genomics aims to characterize and quantify all genes of an organism and their interrelations and influence on the organism. Genomics also involves sequencing and analysis of genomes by using throughput DNA sequencing and bioinformatics to assemble and analyze the function and structure of entire genomes of organisms.
Genomics is further divided into different sub-forms, such as functional genomics, structural genomics, epigenomics, and metagenomics. The main steps in the genomics process are extraction of the genetic material, sequencing, assembly, annotation, and sequencing pipelines and databases.
What is Metagenomics?
Metagenomics is the study of the structure and function of entire genomes (nucleotide sequences) isolated and analyzed from all the organisms in a bulk sample. Metagenomics is specifically involved in microbial analysis. Metagenomics is often used to study specific microorganism communities, such as those residing on human skin, in the soil, or in a water sample.
The steps in metagenomics are extraction of genetic material directly from the sample taken from the environment, multiplication, sequencing, assembly methods, and using information for the functional analysis of organisms such as microbial communities of the environment. Furthermore, metagenomics is a powerful tool for understanding organisms such as microbial worlds that might revolutionize our understanding of biology.
Similarities Between Genomics and Metagenomics
- Genomics and metagenomics are two ways of studying the genomes of organisms.
- There are two associated disciplines coming under biology.
- Both studies have relatively expensive techniques.
- They contribute immensely to enhancing the quality of life for human beings in the future.
Comparing the Difference Between Genomics and Metagenomics
Definition
- Genomics is the study of the genome of an organism and how the information in the genome is applied.
- Metagenomics is the study of the structure and function of entire genomes isolated and analyzed from all the organisms in a bulk sample.
Steps in the Methods
- Genomics: Extraction of the genetic material, sequencing, assembly, annotation, and sequencing pipelines and databases.
- Metagenomics: Extraction of genetic material directly from the sample taken from the environment, multiplication, sequencing, assembly methods and using the information to functional analysis of organisms such as the microbial community of the environment.
Benefits
- Genomics is important in disease diagnosis and drug discovery.
- Metagenomics is a powerful tool for understanding organisms, such as the microbial world, which might revolutionize the understanding of biology.
Drawbacks
- Privacy concerns arise in genomics if the data isn’t properly managed.
- Metagenomics is costly and needs high technical expertise.
The following table summarizes the difference between genomics and metagenomics.
Summary – Genomics vs Metagenomics
Genomics and metagenomics are two ways of studying the genomes of organisms. However, genomics explores the complete genetic information of a single organism, while metagenomics explores a mixture of DNA from multiple organisms and entities like viruses, viroids, and free DNA. Thus, this is the key difference between genomics and metagenomics.
FAQ: Genomics and Metagenomics
1. What is the main difference between genetics and genomics?
- Genetics and genomics both are very important in health and disease. Genetics is the study of genes and the way that certain traits are passed down from one generation to another. Genomics is the study of all of a person’s genes.
2. What do you mean by genomics?
- Genomics is the study of an organism’s genome or its entire genetic material and how this information is applied. Living things, from bacteria to multicellular plants, animals, and humans, have a genome most probably made up of DNA that can be studied through genomics.
3. What is the difference between genomics and bioinformatics?
- Genomics is the study of the total genetic material of an individual organism and its structure, function, and evolution. Bioinformatics is a branch of biology that encompasses a diverse range of analytical methods and tools to interpret genomic data.
4. What is metagenomics used for?
- Metagenomics is the study of the structure and function of entire genomes isolated and analyzed from all the organisms in a bulk sample. Metagenomics is used to study organisms, such as specific communities of microorganisms residing on human skin, in the soil, or in a water sample.
5. Does metagenomics use PCR?
- Metagenomics usually involves the direct genetic analysis of environmental samples. It evades the tedious conventional techniques such as the culturing process. The polymerase chain reaction is one invaluable tool used for such analysis in the metagenomic.
Reference:
1. Handelsman, Jo. “Metagenomics: Application of Genomics to Uncultured Microorganisms.” Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews : MMBR, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
2. Yolanda Smith, B.Pharm. “What Is Metagenomics?” Medica News.net.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Metabolomics Schema” By Lmaps (talk) – I created this work entirely by myself (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “WGS metagenomics analysis steps” By Ana Elena Pérez-Cobas, Laura Gomez-Valero, Carmen Buchrieser – Pérez-Cobas AE, Gomez-Valero L, Buchrieser C. Metagenomic approaches in microbial ecology: an update on whole-genome and marker gene sequencing analyses [published online ahead of print, 2020 Jul 24]. Microb Genom. 2020;10.1099/mgen.0.000409. (CC BY 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia