Environmental Microbiome, Microbiome, Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts, Fungal Biology and Biotechnology and Microbial Cell Factories are calling for submissions to our Collection on 'Engineering Microbiomes for Green Technologies.'
The association of microbial communities with their surrounding environments directly or indirectly influences the biosynthesis of metabolites by regulating metabolic pathways. Functional core microbiomes (FCM) are emerging as novel microbial tools to accelerate the production of biomolecules and bioproducts, with a huge demand for agri-food-energy and environmental sectors. Owing to the complexity of the microbiome's interactions with its respective environment and the large diversity of microbes still remaining poorly described, the precise engineering of FCMs for producing bioproducts will need planned and collective efforts.
On a different front, contaminants seriously impact human health and the sustainability of the environment. Similarly, emerging microbiomes can also be an effective, low-cost and eco-friendly approach for developing biotechnological solutions in this context. Implementation of engineered microbiomes and metagenomics are regarded as advanced solutions for their applications in greener technologies and waste management at lower costs and energy use and in a more environmentally responsible way. The engineering of microbiomes can be utilized to alter the microbiota's structural components and restore ecological equilibrium. Given the above, more advanced technologies and reliable strategies must be developed in this domain.
The application of microfluidics, synthetic biology, genome editing, machine learning, and big data processing to carry out more complex FCM screening will not only increase our capability in developing FCM(s)-based innovative bioformulations but will also improve specific bioproducts production, particularly the ones which are synthesized in minute quantities. Active collaborations among agriculturists, chemists, engineers, microbiologists, and data analysts are needed to identify/isolate FCMs, develop large data sets from screening platforms, and increase biomics-editing abilities. Engineered FCM can be used to develop renewable biofuels, biochemicals, and therapeutics.
In light of the above, this Collection on Engineering Microbiomes for Green Technologies will cover recent advancements in the understanding of evolution of microbiome consortia, the latest signature microbiome-based development, and biotechnological solutions for sustainable environmental management and bioproduction systems in the wake of emerging challenges, including climate change. The significance and present use of microbiome engineering will be the key focus, especially on how it affects agriculture, the environment, and human health. This collection also covers the difficulties in engineering microbiomes and their prospective applications. We invite Research, Review, Correspondence, Methodology, and Brief report papers in this new cross-journal series, looking at the microbiome engineering-based innovations in biomanufacturing. Submissions are welcomed to Environmental Microbiome, Microbiome, Fungal Biology and Biotechnology, Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts, and Microbial Cell Factories.
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