Innovative approaches for the processes involved in microbial biodeterioration of cultural heritage materials

Microbial colonization and development into biofilms on cultural heritage have significant implications for the deterioration of materials, particularly in the tropic and humid environments. To advance the fundamental knowledge on the biofilm-mediated (bio)deterioration processes, future investigations must focus more on the metabolically active microorganisms and biochemical reactions by a combination of methods available. Newly accessible culture-independent techniques of high-throughput sequencing and multi-omics can be coupled with culture-dependent ones and specific biochemical assays, including stable isotopes and DNA probing. Here, we describe the recent advances on this subject matter, highlight a systematic analytical approach for an integrative diagnosis of 'microbial diseases' of cultural heritage, and provide future prospects for a new paradigm of research on microbial biodeterioration of heritage materials.