[Phylogenetic diversity of microbes and its perspectives in conservation biology].

Molecular phylogenetic analysis plays a very important role in the study of microbial diversity. For both cultivated and uncultivated microbes, the comparative sequence analysis of 16S rRNA enabled the investigation of phylogenetic relationships among microorganisms in a manner that was not feasible through traditional microbiological methods. As a result, there are drastic revisions in our understanding of microbiology. The phylogenetic diversity based on the comparative sequence analysis of 16S rRNA produced new insights into the biodiversity conservation. It provides a method for biodiversity judgment and a guideline for biodiversity conservation. Also, it produces the aim of conservation, which is to keep the phylogenetic information as much as possible. In this review, some characters of microbial phylogenetic diversity and the perspectives in conservation biology are outlined.