Informationsschatz aus Umweltproben [Treasure trove of information from environmental samples]

Our environment is a treasure trove of genetic information. High-throughput sequencing enables a spectrum of investigations, from observing human pathogens to assessing the constitution of an ecosystem. Here, we summarize our work on longitudinal total RNA/DNA sequencing from wastewater samples combined with in-depth data analysis. We explore the wealth of data from known virus detection to discovery of novel biotechnological enzyme sequences, showcasing the potential of such systematic approaches.