You have discovered a new species of archaea from a hot spring in Yellowstone National Park. How would your strategy change if you were unable to grow the strain in culture?

Culture techniques involve methods used to grow microorganisms in controlled environments. These techniques are essential for studying the physiology, genetics, and biochemistry of organisms. If a strain cannot be cultured, researchers must rely on alternative methods to study its characteristics, which can limit the understanding of its biology.

Metagenomics is the study of genetic material recovered directly from environmental samples. This approach allows scientists to analyze the genomes of organisms that cannot be cultured in the lab. By using metagenomics, researchers can gain insights into the diversity and functional potential of unculturable species, such as the newly discovered archaea.

Phylogenetic analysis involves studying the evolutionary relationships among various biological species based on genetic information. This method can help identify the new species' relatives and its place in the tree of life, even if it cannot be cultured. Understanding these relationships is crucial for classifying the organism and predicting its ecological roles.