Comparative genomics in an unusual clade of cable bacteria

While most studies of cable bacteria to date have focused on the candidate genera Electrothrix and Electronema, there are other, less-studied branches of the tree of life that also show evidence of long distance electron transport along a filament. The explosive growth of metagenomics means that many genomes from these clades have been sequenced and placed in public databases without being scrutinised for genes related to their potential cable bacteria activity. This project will take a closer look at these "bonus" genomes and determine critical similarities and differences with the cable bacteria genomes that have already been analysed. This is a good project for a student looking to improve their skills in genomics and bioinformatics, including programming.

Supervisor: Ian Marshall

Methods: Bioinformatics

Contact: 

Ian Marshall ([email protected])

The project proposal has been submitted 07.05.2026