Historical perspectives and new opportunities for Australian collections of microorganisms in the microbiome era
Lindsay I SlyMicrobiology Australia 40(3) 140-143 https://doi.org/10.1071/MA19038
Published: 16 September 2019
Abstract
A new microbiology support program for Australian microbial resources centres is essential to take full advantage of the exciting information and biological materials emerging from molecular studies of microbiomes. At a time when taxonomic capacity is in decline, culture collections, with the appropriate level of infrastructure support and funding, are well positioned to enhance the outcomes of microbiome research. The importance of microbial biodiversity and its contribution to life on earth have never been more appreciated in the history of science than now. This appreciation came initially through the systematic study of microbial cultures, their ecological interactions, evolution and genetics. But now in the genomics era, uncultured microorganisms and whole microbial biomes are increasingly being studied using advanced DNA sequencing and bioinformatic techniques bringing greater insight into complex microbial communities, revealing interactions between microbes and the host affecting health and wellbeing. However, it should be remembered that the inference of identity and interpretation of functions of members of these uncultured communities relies heavily on knowledge gained from the study of cultured microorganisms. Advances will be greatly enhanced by bringing novel, and other significant, species in these environments into culture for laboratory study and accession into collections for future biodiscovery.
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