Direct Illumina sequencing of the whole Metagenome of cultivable amoebae isolated from a drinking water network. Metagenome of Free-Living Amoebae from Drinking water

Free-Living amoebae are professional phagocytes colonizing ubiquitously water networks. Amoebae feed on bacteria and help regulate bacterial population in biofilm and planktonic communities. However, some bacteria evolved strategies to survive phagocytosis and use amoebae as a vessel for protection and replication. These bacteria are indeed getting a peculiar attention as they are considered as potential emerging pathogens. We monitored the presence of these amoebae in Paris' drinking water network through a whole year by monitoring ca. 400 water samples for amoebal presence using enrichment media. From positive samples for amoebal presence, DNA was extracted, pooled and sequenced in paired ends using Illimina Hiseq technology. The aim of this work is to describe the whole diversity of bacteria associated with amoebae, and target specific genetic features allowing bacteria to interact and take advantgae of amoeba association