Classification and annotation of Metagenome-Assembled Genomes

• Grant number: 25/03197-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: João Carlos Setubal
• Grantee: Izabel de Geus Monteiro Gomes
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/10577-0 - Biology of Bacteria and Bacteriophages Research Center, AP.CEPID

Abstract

This work aims to develop a tool for classifying and annotating Metagenome-Assembled Genomes (MAGs) of prokaryotic microorganisms. Advances in DNA sequencing techniques have provided new insights into microbial diversity, including the discovery of MAGs without taxonomic classification. In this context, MAGs can be classified into three main categories: SMAGs (MAGs taxonomically classified up to the species level), HMAGs (hypothetical MAGs), and CHMAGs (conserved hypothetical MAGs). There is no existing tool that automatically classifies a given MAG as SMAG, CHMAG, or HMAG. The goal of the proposed tool is to perform this classification and provide the user with various information derived from genomes and orthologous MAGs to the input MAG, allowing for a better understanding of the ecological and geographical distribution of the input MAG and its orthologs. The proposed tool will integrate components such as GTDB-Tk, the Entrez database, and the Genomes OnLine Database (GOLD) API. Additionally, the tool's output will include a graphical representation that enables the user to visualize the geographical and environmental distribution of MAGs and orthologous genomes to the input MAG.