Designer microbiomes

Bioprospecting plant-associated microbiomes.

There is growing demand for new bioactive compounds and biologicals for the pharmaceutical, agro- and food industries. Plant-associated microbes present an attractive and promising source to this end, but are nearly unexploited. Therefore, bioprospecting of plant microbiomes is gaining more and more attention. Due to their highly specialized and co-evolved genetic pool, plant microbiomes host a...

Ancient human microbiomes.

Very recently, we discovered a vast new microbial self: the human microbiome. Our native microbiota interface with our biology and culture to influence our health, behavior, and quality of life, and yet we know very little about their origin, evolution, or ecology. With the advent of industrialization, globalization, and modern sanitation, it is intuitive that we have changed our relationship w...

Evolutionary Biology Needs Wild Microbiomes

The microbiome is a vital component to the evolution of a host and much of what we know about the microbiome derives from studies on humans and captive animals. But captivity alters the microbiome and mammals have unique biological adaptations that affect their microbiomes (e.g., milk). Birds represent over 30% of known tetrapod diversity and possess their own suite of adaptations relevant to t...

‘Designer’ babies

The remaining hurdle to the creation of babies specifically to save the life of an ailing brother or sister was removed in Britain last month by the fertility regulatory body to the delight of afflicted families and alarm of those who fear the advent of a 'designer' baby age. The decision of the UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority gives new hope to the parents of a two-year-old bo...

Designer Manual