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A need to integrate metagenomics and metabolomics in geosciences and develop the deep-time digital earth-biome database of India


Affiliations
1 Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee 247 667, India, India
2 Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata 741 246, India, India
3 Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali 140 306, India, India
4 Department of Geology, School of Sciences, Cluster University of Jammu, Jammu 180 001, India, India
5 Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400 076, India, India
6 Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow 226 007, India, India
7 Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee 247 667, India, India
8 Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Sciences, Bengaluru 560 012, India, India
9 CSIR Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500 007, India, India
10 Geobiotechnology Laboratory/PG and Research Department of Botany, National College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli 620 001, India, India
 

This article presents applications of metagenomics and metabolomics in geosciences. It emphasizes the significance of biomolecular proxies in palaeoclimatology, the evolution of life, the genesis of hydrocarbons and the role of biological processes in metallogeny. Several examples of breakthroughs with respect using these methods in earth sciences exist, such as the estimating resilience time of landscapes against invasive species. It is unfortunate that scientific programmes using bioproxies have not yet taken root in Indian institutions. Now is the appropriate time to delineate the critical role of biology in geology and establish it as a thrust area of research in India. A molecular geobio­logy programme would deal with the understanding of varied issues such as microbial heat production and its role in soil processes, the role of biology in mineralization, the use of biomarkers (metabolites) and ancient DNA studies in understanding feedbacks in climate change, evolution of life, etc. This article focuses on the use of metagenomics and metabolomics in palaeo-sciences and the potential intellectual dividends they could provide
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  • A need to integrate metagenomics and metabolomics in geosciences and develop the deep-time digital earth-biome database of India

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Authors

Pradeep Srivastava
Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee 247 667, India, India
Prasanta Sanyal
Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata 741 246, India, India
Sharmila Bhattacharya
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali 140 306, India, India
Praveen K. Mishra
Department of Geology, School of Sciences, Cluster University of Jammu, Jammu 180 001, India, India
Suryendu Dutta
Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400 076, India, India
Rajarshi Chakravarti
Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee 247 667, India, India
Niraj Rai
Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow 226 007, India, India
Naveen Navani
Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee 247 667, India, India
Anoop Ambili
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali 140 306, India, India
K. P. Karanth
Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Sciences, Bengaluru 560 012, India, India
Jahanavi Joshi
CSIR Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500 007, India, India
Sushmita Singh
Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee 247 667, India, India
Senthil Kumar Sadasivam
Geobiotechnology Laboratory/PG and Research Department of Botany, National College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli 620 001, India, India

Abstract


This article presents applications of metagenomics and metabolomics in geosciences. It emphasizes the significance of biomolecular proxies in palaeoclimatology, the evolution of life, the genesis of hydrocarbons and the role of biological processes in metallogeny. Several examples of breakthroughs with respect using these methods in earth sciences exist, such as the estimating resilience time of landscapes against invasive species. It is unfortunate that scientific programmes using bioproxies have not yet taken root in Indian institutions. Now is the appropriate time to delineate the critical role of biology in geology and establish it as a thrust area of research in India. A molecular geobio­logy programme would deal with the understanding of varied issues such as microbial heat production and its role in soil processes, the role of biology in mineralization, the use of biomarkers (metabolites) and ancient DNA studies in understanding feedbacks in climate change, evolution of life, etc. This article focuses on the use of metagenomics and metabolomics in palaeo-sciences and the potential intellectual dividends they could provide

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv124%2Fi1%2F26-37