The Application of Modern Molecular Biological Techniques in the Research of Microbial Community Structure and Diversity

Abstract

The development and the prevalence of modern molecular biological techniques have provided revolutionary progress in microbial community studies. These molecular methods have made significant contributions to the research of microorganisms that cannot be detected by traditional culture-based methods. This paper summarized the development of molecular biological techniques applied in the research of microbial community diversity, then highlighted the principals and characteristics of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), clone library analysis and high-throughput sequencing technique. Each method has its advantages and limitations, it’s important for researchers to select suitable methods in studies.