The microbiome as engineering tool: Manufacturing and trading between microorganisms.

Area of Science:

• Microbial Ecology
• Biotechnology
• Environmental Engineering

Background:

• Microbial technologies have long been used in the water-energy nexus, but mixed communities are poorly understood.
• Current process control relies on basic parameters (pH, temperature), leading to suboptimal performance.
• Mixed microbial communities function as interacting entities, not random collections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the need for advanced monitoring and engineering of microbiomes in the water-energy nexus.
• To present top-down and bottom-up strategies for microbiome management.
• To emphasize the importance of identifying key microbial players for process optimization.

Main Methods:

• Discusses microbial resource management (top-down) using molecular techniques for network monitoring.
• Explains the use of synthetic cultures (bottom-up) composed from defined axenic cultures.
• Stresses the necessity of real-time monitoring and control, including molecular screening techniques.

Main Results:

• Advanced monitoring allows for effective engineering of microbiomes for desired performance.
• Both top-down and bottom-up approaches require real-time monitoring and control.
• Identifying key microbial players is crucial for understanding functional conversions and interactions.

Conclusions:

• Effective engineering of microbiomes is achievable through advanced monitoring and control.
• Molecular techniques are essential for gaining structural and functional insights into microbial communities.
• Optimizing microbiome processes minimizes energy input and maximizes product output in the water-energy nexus.