The “global ocean genome” comprises the pool of genes from marine biodiversity and the functional information that these genes encode. It represents a significant international asset for better understanding of the marine environment and for potential benefits to society. Comprehensive analyses of the ocean genome will reveal novel genes that may have potential for use in diverse sectors including biomedicine, food and energy.

Researchers and scientists from KAUST and the Spanish National Research Council have now released the KAUST Metagenome Analysis Platform (KMAP) Global Ocean Gene Catalog 1.0, the largest to date open-access global ocean genome catalog of marine microbial life. The KAUST Metagenome Analysis Platform, an integrated web-based tool for the comprehensive reannotation and exploration of shotgun metagenomic data developed by bioinformatician Intikhab Alam and colleagues, underpins the Ocean Gene Catalog.

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