Using Microbial Functions to Improve Health, Technology, and Applications

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Microbial Biotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 February 2025 | Viewed by 2042

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
Interests: microbiome; disease prevention; systems biology; nutraceuticals (prebiotic and probiotics); immune protection; developmental programming; anti-aging/healthspan; food and drug toxicity
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Microorganisms represent the predominate life form on earth, are distributed across virtually all ecological niches, and are critical partners to humans and other holobionts. This Special Issue focuses on (1) the range and utility of capacities of microorganisms (e.g., energy and information collection and transfer, quantum states, and niche adaptations, and (2) how their diversity of genes and functional capacities drive advances in holobiont health and technological applications. The goal of this Special Issue is to increase our understanding and use of microorganisms and their genes, constituent parts, and/or functional capacities to improve human, animal, plant, microbial, industrial, and ecological wellbeing.

In this Microorganisms Special Issue, we welcome original research articles, review papers, and short commentaries. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Microbes and microbial applications that benefit human health and wellbeing;
  • Microbes and microbial applications that improve animal, plant, agricultural, and/or ecological wellbeing;
  • Fundamental and specialized processes used by microbes that can be applied in technologies (e.g., biobatteries, digestors, targeted medical treatments, restorative agriculture, informational networks, and space technologies);
  • Interactions between holobiont commensal microbes and environmental microbes;
  • The presence and significance of specialized microorganisms within the human microbiome;
  • The flow of information and energy within the microbial holobiont.

Prof. Dr. Rodney R. Dietert
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • microbe-based technology
  • microbial sensing
  • medical advances
  • holobiont health and wellness
  • energy and information transfer
  • internet of microbes
  • microbial gene adaptations
  • restorative agriculture
  • ecological recovery
  • human safety

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

22 pages, 333 KiB  
Review
Examining Sound, Light, and Vibrations as Tools to Manage Microbes and Support Holobionts, Ecosystems, and Technologies
by Rodney R. Dietert and Janice M. Dietert
Microorganisms 2024, 12(5), 905; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12050905 - 30 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1768
Abstract
The vast array of interconnected microorganisms across Earth’s ecosystems and within holobionts has been called the “Internet of Microbes.” Bacteria and archaea are masters of energy and information collection, storage, transformation, and dissemination using both “wired” and wireless (at a distance) functions. Specific [...] Read more.
The vast array of interconnected microorganisms across Earth’s ecosystems and within holobionts has been called the “Internet of Microbes.” Bacteria and archaea are masters of energy and information collection, storage, transformation, and dissemination using both “wired” and wireless (at a distance) functions. Specific tools affecting microbial energy and information functions offer effective strategies for managing microbial populations within, between, and beyond holobionts. This narrative review focuses on microbial management using a subset of physical modifiers of microbes: sound and light (as well as related vibrations). These are examined as follows: (1) as tools for managing microbial populations, (2) as tools to support new technologies, (3) as tools for healing humans and other holobionts, and (4) as potential safety dangers for microbial populations and their holobionts. Given microbial sensitivity to sound, light, and vibrations, it is critical that we assign a higher priority to the effects of these physical factors on microbial populations and microbe-laden holobionts. We conclude that specific sound, light, and/or vibrational conditions are significant therapeutic tools that can help support useful microbial populations and help to address the ongoing challenges of holobiont disease. We also caution that inappropriate sound, light, and/or vibration exposure can represent significant hazards that require greater recognition. Full article
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