Metagenomics

thumb|upright=1.5|In metagenomics, the genetic materials (DNA, C) are extracted directly from samples taken from the environment (e.g. soil, sea water, human gut, A) after filtering (B), and are sequenced (E) after multiplication by cloning (D) in an approach called [[shotgun sequencing. These short sequences can then be put together again using assembly methods (F) to deduce the individual genomes or parts of genomes that constitute the original environmental sample. This information can then be used to study the species diversity and functional potential of the microbial community of the env

RNA component

method for sequencing random DNA strands