Largest bacterial genome sequenced in Canada - Data provides insights on bioremediation -

Vancouver- An international team led by three University of British Columbia microbiologists has completed the sequencing and annotation of the genome of Rhodococcus sp. RHA1, a soil bacterium, which is the largest bacterial genome sequenced to date. It is the first genome of a Rhodococcus to be completely sequenced, and the first bacterial genome to be entirely sequenced and annotated in Canada.

"We began this project expecting to learn more about how these bacteria degrade toxic pollutants, but ended up also coming up with ideas on how to cut costs in the production of antibiotics and other important pharmaceuticals," enthused Prof. Lindsay Eltis, who together with Profs. …