The 21st century has witnessed a complete revolution in the understanding and description of bacteria in eco- systems and microbial assemblages, and how they are regulated by complex interactions among microbes, hosts, and environments. The human organism is no longer considered a monolithic assembly of tissues, but is instead a true ecosystem composed of human cells, bacteria, fungi, algae, and viruses. As such, humans are not unlike other complex ecosystems containing microbial assemblages observed in the marine and earth environments. They all share a basic functional principle: Chemical communication is the universal language that allows such groups to properly function together. These chemical networks regulate interactions like metabolic exchange, antibiosis and symbiosis, and communication. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Chemical Sciences Roundtable organized a series of four seminars in the autumn of 2016 to explore the current advances, opportunities, and challenges toward unveiling this "chemical dark matter" and its role in the regulation and function of different ecosystems. The first three focused on specific ecosystemsâ€"earth, marine, and humanâ€"and the last on all microbiome systems. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the seminars.

This reference book compiles the latest techniques and applications of microbiome engineering. Microbial communities interact dynamically with their hosts, creating a considerable impact on the host and their ecosystem. This book introduces readers to microbiomes and microbiome engineering. It covers topics like omics tools in microbial research, strategies to engineer human microbiomes, the application of synthetic biology to build smart microbes, and the future of microbiome engineering. It includes the application of microbiome engineering in improving human health, livestock, and agricultural productivity. The book is intended for researchers and students in the fields of microbiology and biotechnology.

Principles in Microbiome Engineering Provides an overview of the techniques and applications insight into the complex composition and interactions of microbiomes Microbiomes, the communities of microorganisms that inhabit specific ecosystems or organisms, can be engineered to modify the structure of microbiota and reestablish ecological balance. In recent years, a better understanding of microbial composition and host-microbe interactions has led to the development of new applications for improving human health and increasing agricultural productivity and quality. Principles in Microbiome Engineering introduces readers to the tools and applications involved in manipulating the composition of a microbial community to improve the function of an eco-system. Covering a range of key topics, this up-to-date volume discusses current research in areas such as microbiome-based therapeutics for human diseases, crop plant breeding, animal husbandry, soil engineering, food and beverage applications, and more. Divided into three sections, the text first describes the critical roles of systems biology, synthetic biology, computer modelling, and machine learning in microbiome engineering. Next, the volume explores various state-of-the-art applications, including cancer immunotherapy and prevention of diseases associated with the human microbiome, followed by a concluding section offering perspectives on the future of microbiome engineering and potential applications. Introduces a variety of applications of microbiome engineering in the fields of medicine, agriculture, and food and beverage products Presents current research into the complex interactions and relationships between microbiomes and biotic and abiotic elements of their environments Examines the use of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Big Data analytics to advance understanding of microbiomes Discusses the engineering of microbiomes to address human health conditions such as neuro psychiatric disorders and autoimmune and inflammatory diseases Edited and authored by leading researchers in the rapidly evolving field, Principles in Microbiome Engineering is an essential resource for biotechnologists, biochemists, microbiologists, pharmacologists, and practitioners working in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

People's desire to understand the environments in which they live is a natural one. People spend most of their time in spaces and structures designed, built, and managed by humans, and it is estimated that people in developed countries now spend 90 percent of their lives indoors. As people move from homes to workplaces, traveling in cars and on transit systems, microorganisms are continually with and around them. The human-associated microbes that are shed, along with the human behaviors that affect their transport and removal, make significant contributions to the diversity of the indoor microbiome. The characteristics of "healthy" indoor environments cannot yet be defined, nor do microbial, clinical, and building researchers yet understand how to modify features of indoor environmentsâ€"such as building ventilation systems and the chemistry of building materialsâ€"in ways that would have predictable impacts on microbial communities to promote health and prevent disease. The factors that affect the environments within buildings, the ways in which building characteristics influence the composition and function of indoor microbial communities, and the ways in which these microbial communities relate to human health and well-being are extraordinarily complex and can be explored only as a dynamic, interconnected ecosystem by engaging the fields of microbial biology and ecology, chemistry, building science, and human physiology. This report reviews what is known about the intersection of these disciplines, and how new tools may facilitate advances in understanding the ecosystem of built environments, indoor microbiomes, and effects on human health and well-being. It offers a research agenda to generate the information needed so that stakeholders with an interest in understanding the impacts of built environments will be able to make more informed decisions.

This book provides a straightforward and easy-to-understand overview of beneficial plant-bacterial interactions. It features a wealth of unique illustrations to clarify the text, and each chapter includes study questions that highlight the important points, as well as references to key experiments. Since the publication of the first edition of Beneficial Plant-Bacterial Interactions, in 2015, there has been an abundance of new discoveries in this area, and in recent years, scientists around the globe have begun to develop a relatively detailed understanding of many of the mechanisms used by bacteria that facilitate plant growth and development. This knowledge is gradually becoming an integral component of modern agricultural practice, with more and more plant growth-promoting bacterial strains being commercialized and used successfully in countries throughout the world. In addition, as the world’s population continues to grow, the pressure for increased food production will intensify, while at the same time, environmental concerns, mean that environmentally friendly methods of food production will need to replace many traditional agricultural practices such as the use of potentially dangerous chemicals. The book, intended for students, explores the fundamentals of this new paradigm in agriculture, horticulture, and environmental cleanup.

The most up-to-date reference on phytomicrobiomes available today The Plant Microbiome in Sustainable Agriculture combines the most relevant and timely information available today in the fields of nutrient and food security. With a particular emphasis on current research progress and perspectives of future development in the area, The Plant Microbiome in Sustainable Agriculture is an invaluable reference for students and researchers in the field, as well as those with an interest in microbiome research and development. The book covers both terrestrial and crop associated microbiomes, unveiling the biological, biotechnological and technical aspects of research. Topics discussed include: Developing model plant microbiome systems for various agriculturally important crops Defining core microbiomes and metagenomes in these model systems Defining synthetic microbiomes for a sustainable increase in food production and quality The Plant Microbiome in Sustainable Agriculture is written to allow a relative neophyte to learn and understand the basic concepts involved in phytomicrobiomes and discuss them intelligently with colleagues.

The Food Forum convened a public workshop on February 22-23, 2012, to explore current and emerging knowledge of the human microbiome, its role in human health, its interaction with the diet, and the translation of new research findings into tools and products that improve the nutritional quality of the food supply. The Human Microbiome, Diet, and Health: Workshop Summary summarizes the presentations and discussions that took place during the workshop. Over the two day workshop, several themes covered included: The microbiome is integral to human physiology, health, and disease. The microbiome is arguably the most intimate connection that humans have with their external environment, mostly through diet. Given the emerging nature of research on the microbiome, some important methodology issues might still have to be resolved with respect to undersampling and a lack of causal and mechanistic studies. Dietary interventions intended to have an impact on host biology via their impact on the microbiome are being developed, and the market for these products is seeing tremendous success. However, the current regulatory framework poses challenges to industry interest and investment.