BICO News Feed
- December 2, 2024
- 1:12 pm
Key Applications of Microbiome Research
Microbiome research is revolutionizing many industries, offering groundbreaking insights into human health, environmental sustainability, and industrial innovation. The microbiome describes the diverse community of microorganisms inhabiting animals, plants, and ecosystems and plays vital roles in human physiology and ecosystem health (Panthee et al., 2022). Applications of microbiome research range from personalized medicine and sustainable agriculture to biofuel production and pollution control. With advancements in sequencing technologies and synthetic biology, microbiome research is opening new frontiers for diagnosing diseases, developing therapies, and creating eco-friendly materials (Gao et al., 2023; Scarborough et al., 2022). The article will cover microbiome research applications across medical, environmental, and industrial fields and highlight emerging trends within the exciting field of synthetic biology.
The Microbiome in Human Health and Medicine
The human microbiome is becoming increasingly recognized as a cornerstone of our health (Ghosh et al., 2022). Disruptions in the composition of the microbiome of the gut, skin, or other body locations can lead to severe health conditions (Larson et al., 2022). Many pathogens have the capability to disrupt the human gut microbiome, which is now known to impact the functioning of other organs and systems, like the immune system. Recent studies have identified links between the microbiome and many aspects of health, including mental health, skin health, and heart health (Chakraborty et al., 2024).
Treatment of infectious diseases relies on the accurate identification of pathogenic organisms for directing optimal patient care. Conversely, microorganisms are being used to develop different therapies or as the basis for different treatments. Probiotics are beneficial microbes that are thought to promote health, while other applications like fecal microbiota transplantation show promise in treating chronic diseases (Allegretti et al., 2024; Gibson et al., 2017). Technologies to analyze the microbiome open the door for more personalized approaches to medicine and may allow clinicians to better understand how some diseases emerge. The study of the microbiome and its connection to human health is an ongoing area of research, and it is expected to expand as new discoveries are made.
Environmental Applications
Microbes are found in virtually all environments, making them an essential ally in addressing environmental challenges and promoting sustainability.
Plant and Soil Health
The microbiome of soil, water, and air has important applications for biodiversity and the overall well-being of the biosphere. Microbial communities play essential roles in the recycling and sequestration of nutrients and in plant health by promoting soil quality for the growth of crops. Some beneficial microbes can help plants absorb more nutrients from their environment and thereby promote plant health and crop yield (Harman et al., 2021). They can also be used for soil rehabilitation to improve crop yields and expand growing areas into previously barren land.
Pest and Pollution Control
Microbes play a key role in modern biopesticide treatments, which increasingly focus on environmentally friendly methods and reducing reliance on harsh chemicals. The bacterial species Bacillus thuringiensis is particularly important for managing populations of common economically damaging pests (Ragasruthi et al., 2024) (Fig. 1). Microbes are also being used to combat the effects of pollution. This includes microbes engineered to digest plastic waste and detoxify and remove heavy metals and other pollutants (Johnson, 2024).
Climate Change
An emerging area of environmental microbiome research is the role microbes can play in combatting the effects of climate change. Research is ongoing into the ability of different microbes to capture carbon from the atmosphere, which is a strong contributor to global warming (Wu et al., 2024).
Industrial Applications
Microbiome research is revolutionizing industries by offering sustainable and innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
Biofuel and Cosmetics
The role of microbes in industrial applications is growing rapidly. One particularly important area is the development of biofuels, which provide a more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a related technology that uses microbes to generate electricity (Naha et al., 2023). Microbes are used extensively in the cosmetics industry, including in products like probiotics for skincare, as well as microbial enzymes and bioactive compounds used in anti-aging, moisturizing, and UV-protection formulations (Gupta et al., 2019).
Food and Drink
Microbes play a vital role in the food and drink industries, with ongoing research focused on enhancing and optimizing food preparation processes. Microbes are used in fermentation for various food types, including cheese, yogurt, beer, and wine. Somewhat paradoxically, some microbes are used as preservatives in foodstuffs, as are microbe-derived molecules (Karnwal & Malik, 2024). Interestingly, microbes themselves are being investigated as a potential food source (Graham & Ledesma-Amaro, 2023).
Eco-friendly Alternatives
Microbiome research offers more environmentally friendly solutions across various industries, including leather and textile production, by providing sustainable alternatives to traditional chemical processes (Ugbede et al., 2023). In mining, microbes can be used to extract metals like copper and iron from ore, eliminating the need for more harsh chemical approaches (Rawlings, 2002).
Emerging Applications
Microbiome research is at the forefront of groundbreaking advancements across diverse fields. Below, we explore key areas where microbiome research is driving innovation.
Diagnostics
In medicine, the microbiome is increasingly being used as a diagnostic tool to understand different health conditions. While detecting pathogens in stool and other samples is a well-established technique, new sequencing technologies allow clinical teams to get snapshots of large microbial populations, identifying imbalances or dysbiosis associated with various conditions (Hou et al., 2022).
Synthetic Biology
Synthetic biology is a field that designs and builds new biological systems or reprograms existing ones to perform specific tasks, like producing medicines, biofuels, or environmentally friendly materials. It is an exciting field that can use microbes for many potential applications across healthcare and other industries. One particularly interesting area is the engineering of microbes to deliver drugs or gene-editing machinery to precise locations within the body to treat different diseases. While this is not a new idea, recent advances in synthetic biology have made it more viable (Arboleda-García et al., 2023; Nguyen et al., 2023).
The B.SIGHT from CYTENA enables the isolation of single microbial cells even from complex mixtures, allowing researchers to overcome significant barriers in microbiome research (Fig. 2).
Conclusion
Microbiome research impacts human health, the environment, and many industries, by revolutionizing approaches to medicine, agriculture, and sustainability. Emerging technologies like synthetic biology and single-cell isolation continue to unlock the microbiome’s potential, offering solutions to global challenges like climate change, pollution, and disease. As research evolves, the microbiome will remain integral to fostering innovation and improving sustainability, human health, and industrial efficiency.
CYTENA provides researchers with best-in-class tools for studying microbes and streamlining the development of game-changing innovations. Contact a member of the CYTENA team today to learn more about the B.SIGHT.
References
- Allegretti, J. R., Khanna, S., Mullish, B. H., & Feuerstadt, P. (2024). The Progression of Microbiome Therapeutics for the Management of Gastrointestinal Diseases and Beyond. Gastroenterology, 167(5), 885–902.
- Arboleda-García, A., Alarcon-Ruiz, I., Boada-Acosta, L., Boada, Y., Vignoni, A., & Jantus-Lewintre, E. (2023). Advancements in synthetic biology-based bacterial cancer therapy: A modular design approach. Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology, 190, 104088.
- Chakraborty, P., Banerjee, D., Majumder, P., & Sarkar, J. (2024). Gut microbiota nexus: Exploring the interactions with the brain, heart, lungs, and skin axes and their effects on health. Medicine in Microecology, 20, 100104.
- Gao, Y., Li, D., & Liu, Y.-X. (2023). Microbiome research outlook: Past, present, and future. Protein & Cell, 14(10), 709–712.
- Ghosh, T. S., Shanahan, F., & O’Toole, P. W. (2022). The gut microbiome as a modulator of healthy ageing. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 19(9), 565–584.
- Gibson, G. R., Hutkins, R., Sanders, M. E., Prescott, S. L., Reimer, R. A., Salminen, S. J., Scott, K., Stanton, C., Swanson, K. S., Cani, P. D., Verbeke, K., & Reid, G. (2017). Expert consensus document: The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 14(8), 491–502.
- Graham, A. E., & Ledesma-Amaro, R. (2023). The microbial food revolution. Nature Communications, 14(1), 2231.
- Gupta, P. L., Rajput, M., Oza, T., Trivedi, U., & Sanghvi, G. (2019). Eminence of Microbial Products in Cosmetic Industry. Natural Products and Bioprospecting, 9(4), 267–278.
- Harman, G., Khadka, R., Doni, F., & Uphoff, N. (2021). Benefits to Plant Health and Productivity From Enhancing Plant Microbial Symbionts. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11, 610065.
- Hou, K., Wu, Z.-X., Chen, X.-Y., Wang, J.-Q., Zhang, D., Xiao, C., Zhu, D., Koya, J. B., Wei, L., Li, J., & Chen, Z.-S. (2022). Microbiota in health and diseases. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, 7(1), 135.
- Johnson, B. (2024). Plastic-eating bacteria boost growing business of bioremediation. Nature Biotechnology, 42(10), 1481–1485.
- Karnwal, A., & Malik, T. (2024). Exploring the untapped potential of naturally occurring antimicrobial compounds: Novel advancements in food preservation for enhanced safety and sustainability. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 8, 1307210.
- Larson, P. J., Zhou, W., Santiago, A., Driscoll, S., Fleming, E., Voigt, A. Y., Chun, O. K., Grady, J. J., Kuchel, G. A., Robison, J. T., & Oh, J. (2022). Associations of the skin, oral and gut microbiome with aging, frailty and infection risk reservoirs in older adults. Nature Aging, 2(10), 941–955.
- Naha, A., Debroy, R., Sharma, D., Shah, M. P., & Nath, S. (2023). Microbial fuel cell: A state-of-the-art and revolutionizing technology for efficient energy recovery. Cleaner and Circular Bioeconomy, 5, 100050.
- Nguyen, D.-H., Chong, A., Hong, Y., & Min, J.-J. (2023). Bioengineering of bacteria for cancer immunotherapy. Nature Communications, 14(1), 3553.
- Panthee, B., Gyawali, S., Panthee, P., & Techato, K. (2022). Environmental and Human Microbiome for Health. Life (Basel, Switzerland), 12(3), 456.
- Ragasruthi, M., Balakrishnan, N., Murugan, M., Swarnakumari, N., Harish, S., & Sharmila, D. J. S. (2024). Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)-based biopesticide: Navigating success, challenges, and future horizons in sustainable pest control. Science of The Total Environment, 954, 176594.
- Rawlings, D. E. (2002). Heavy Metal Mining Using Microbes. Annual Review of Microbiology, 56(1), 65–91.
- Scarborough, M. J., Lawson, C. E., DeCola, A. C., & Gois, I. M. (2022). Microbiomes for sustainable biomanufacturing. Current Opinion in Microbiology, 65, 8–14.
- Ugbede, A. S., Abioye, O. P., Aransiola, S. A., Oyewole, O. A., Maddela, N. R., & Prasad, R. (2023). Production, optimization and partial purification of bacterial and fungal proteases for animal skin dehairing: A sustainable development in leather-making process. Bioresource Technology Reports, 24, 101632.
- Wu, H., Cui, H., Fu, C., Li, R., Qi, F., Liu, Z., Yang, G., Xiao, K., & Qiao, M. (2024). Unveiling the crucial role of soil microorganisms in carbon cycling: A review. Science of The Total Environment, 909, 168627.
More news
Stay updated
Get the latest first.
