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Better together: engineering and application of microbial symbioses
Stephanie G Hays1, William G Patrick2, Marika Ziesack1
1Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Avenue, WAB 563, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Current Opinion in Biotechnology
|August 31, 2015
Summary
Microbial consortia, like lichens and biofilms, offer enhanced robustness and metabolic capabilities beyond individual microbes. Further research is crucial for understanding and engineering these complex microbial systems.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Synthetic Biology
- Ecology
Background:
- Microbial symbioses, including lichens and biofilms, demonstrate resilience in fluctuating environments.
- Consortia expand metabolic functions, enabling division of labor, as seen in natural photosynthetic and methanogenic communities.
- Engineered microbial consortia leverage synthetic biology for controlled interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the advantages of microbial consortia over individual microbes.
- To highlight the applications of engineered consortia in environmental remediation and energy.
- To identify fundamental questions requiring further investigation in microbial systems.
Main Methods:
- Review of natural microbial symbioses (e.g., lichens, biofilms).
- Analysis of metabolic capabilities in natural and engineered consortia.
- Examination of synthetic biology approaches for microbial interaction control.
Main Results:
- Microbial consortia exhibit increased robustness and expanded metabolic potential.
- Division of labor enhances functional capacity within consortia.
- Engineered consortia show promise for real-world applications.
Conclusions:
- Microbial systems composed of multiple organisms offer synergistic benefits.
- Continued research is essential for advancing the understanding and engineering of microbial consortia.
- Microbial consortia represent systems greater than the sum of their individual parts.
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