Hot stream metagenomic analysis

The examination of microbial diversity and distribution is one of the key concern in environmental microbiology. Identification of the microorganism exist in a particular environment is critical for understanding the function of organisms in that environment and the processes influencing the diversity of those organisms. The hot springs are one of the most unique and diverse geothermal ecosystems on Earth, that host a collection of deeply-rooted and under studied prokaryotes. The combination of stringent chemical condition and extreme temperature encountered in geothermal system offers a vital opportunity for studying the diversity and function of indigenous microbiota. The unique microbial ecosystems of the hot springs from Saudi Arabia have never been studied in detail before. The purpose of this project is to examine the chemical and metabolic profile and to identify the bacterial and archaeal communities of the hot springs located at the southwestern region of the Saudi Arabia. This study will be conducted at five terrestrial hot springs for a period of two years. Culture-dependent and culture-independent metagenomic microbiological techniques will be used to investigate the microbial community composition and metabolic properties of the hot-springs microbial ecosystem.