Department of Botany, MRC-166, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA.
Department of Botany, MRC-166, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA; Department of Entomology, MRC-187, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA; Laboratory of Interactions and Global Change, Department of Multitrophic Interactions, Institute of Ecology (INECOL), Carretera Antigua a Coatepec Number 351, El Haya, Xalapa,Veracruz 91070, Mexico.
Trends Ecol Evol. 2015 Jan;30(1):25-35. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2014.10.008. Epub 2014 Nov 19.
The use of DNA barcodes, which are short gene sequences taken from a standardized portion of the genome and used to identify species, is entering a new phase of application as more and more investigations employ these genetic markers to address questions relating to the ecology and evolution of natural systems. The suite of DNA barcode markers now applied to specific taxonomic groups of organisms are proving invaluable for understanding species boundaries, community ecology, functional trait evolution, trophic interactions, and the conservation of biodiversity. The application of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology will greatly expand the versatility of DNA barcodes across the Tree of Life, habitats, and geographies as new methodologies are explored and developed.
DNA 条形码的使用正进入一个新阶段，越来越多的研究采用这些遗传标记来解决与自然系统的生态和进化有关的问题。目前应用于特定生物分类群的 DNA 条形码标记在理解物种界限、群落生态学、功能性状进化、营养相互作用以及生物多样性保护方面具有重要意义。随着新方法的探索和发展，下一代测序 (NGS) 技术的应用将极大地扩展 DNA 条形码在生命之树、栖息地和地理区域的多功能性。
