Could one of you life scientist explain the significance of this paper in terms that a physics-engineering-software guy might understand.
I haven't read the paper in detail, just skimmed through it, and it's basically a metagenomics study. Metagenomics research is being conducted more and more, largely because we can now sequence a large number genomes in a relatively short time-span. Metagenomics is useful for exploring biodiversity and the impact of that diversity on the environment, etc.
With this particular population of organisms that have been apparently isolated for quite some time, I'd be curious as to whether or not there has been very much horizontal gene transfer between this population and the "outside world." If we do find some HGT events, molecular clocks could be used here to make an estimate of when these genes were laterally acquired. Suppose we find that, say, two million years ago there was extensive horizontal gene transfer. Then this would raise the question of how isolated this population was 2 million years ago. Was the surrounding habitat somewhat different, allowing a greater exchange of genes? In this way, metagenome research could shed light on geological history. That would be cool.
But I digress from the topic of this paper.
Edited by Genomicus, : No reason given.
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