Identification and Classification of Prokaryotes using whole-genome sequences.

This book chapter attempts to summarize the major findings from genome-based taxonomic studies in the past two decades, and briefly describe the major genome-based approaches currently available for species identification and classification with special focus on the 'uncultivated majority' and associated limitations, as well as outlines future directions towards a truly genome-based taxonomy for prokaryotes that will equally encompass cultured and uncultivated taxa. Importantly, the need for a system to catalogue uncultivated taxa is very urgent, because the genomes and ecological/functional data that are becoming available are already overwhelming, and alphanumeric identifiers and synonyms are creating confusion of Babylonian dimensions.