Great Barrier Reef microbiome mapped as researchers discover 500 bacterial species previously unknown to science | TheBriefWire
Great Barrier Reef microbiome mapped as researchers discover 500 bacterial species previously unknown to science
Published 22 July 2026 ยท science
Research identifies 808,585 viral genomes belonging to what scientists estimate to be 362,802 different viruses Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news
Research identifies 808,585 viral genomes belonging to what scientists estimate to be 362,802 different viruses Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast More than a decade after the human microbiome was comprehensively mapped, scientists have now identified the vast communities of microbes that make up the Great Barrier Reef. Analysing DNA from seawater samples of 48 reefs, researchers have mapped the microbiome of the Great Barrier Reef, documenting more than 360,000 distinct viruses as well as more than 500 new bacterial species not previously known to science. Continue reading...
Published: July 22, 2026 โข 8:30 PM IST ยท Updated: July 22, 2026 โข 9:09 PM ISTBy TheBriefWire Editorial Team
Key points
Research identifies 808,585 viral genomes belonging to what scientists estimate to be 362,802 different viruses Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast More than a decade after the human microbiome was comprehensively mapped, scientists have now identified the vast communities of microbes that make up the Great Barrier Reef.
Analysing DNA from seawater samples of 48 reefs, researchers have mapped the microbiome of the Great Barrier Reef, documenting more than 360,000 distinct viruses as well as more than 500 new bacterial species not previously known to science.