Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.4
4.1
Journals
Microorganisms
Special Issues
Using Microbial Functions to Improve Health, Technology, and Applications
share announcement

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: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 8087

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Rodney R. Dietert

E-Mail Website
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
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

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

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Review

35 pages, 2606 KiB  
Review
Advances in Diversity, Evolutionary Dynamics and Biotechnological Potential of Restriction-Modification Systems
by Chen Chen, Yue Zhang, Hao Wu, Jianjun Qiao and Qinggele Caiyin
Microorganisms 2025, 13(5), 1126; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13051126 - 14 May 2025
Viewed by 292
Abstract
Restriction–modification systems (RMS) are ubiquitous in prokaryotes and serve as primitive immune-like mechanisms that safeguard microbial genomes against foreign genetic elements. Beyond their well-known role in sequence-specific defense, RMS also contribute significantly to genomic stability, drive evolutionary processes, and mitigate the deleterious effects [...] Read more.
Restriction–modification systems (RMS) are ubiquitous in prokaryotes and serve as primitive immune-like mechanisms that safeguard microbial genomes against foreign genetic elements. Beyond their well-known role in sequence-specific defense, RMS also contribute significantly to genomic stability, drive evolutionary processes, and mitigate the deleterious effects of mutations. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of current insights into RMS, emphasizing their structural and functional diversity, ecological and evolutionary roles, and expanding applications in biotechnology. By integrating recent advances with an analysis of persisting challenges, we highlight the critical contributions of RMS to both fundamental microbiology and practical applications in biomedicine and industrial biotechnology. Furthermore, we discuss emerging research directions in RMS, particularly in light of novel technologies and the increasing importance of microbial genetics in addressing global health and environmental issues. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Using Microbial Functions to Improve Health, Technology, and Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 3903 KiB  
Review
Engineering Useful Microbial Species for Pharmaceutical Applications
by Amankeldi K. Sadanov, Baiken B. Baimakhanova, Saltanat E. Orasymbet, Irina A. Ratnikova, Zere Z. Turlybaeva, Gul B. Baimakhanova, Aigul A. Amitova, Anel A. Omirbekova, Gulzat S. Aitkaliyeva, Bekzhan D. Kossalbayev and Ayaz M. Belkozhayev
Microorganisms 2025, 13(3), 599; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13030599 - 5 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2310
Abstract
Microbial engineering has made a significant breakthrough in pharmaceutical biotechnology, greatly expanding the production of biologically active compounds, therapeutic proteins, and novel drug candidates. Recent advancements in genetic engineering, synthetic biology, and adaptive evolution have contributed to the optimization of microbial strains for [...] Read more.
Microbial engineering has made a significant breakthrough in pharmaceutical biotechnology, greatly expanding the production of biologically active compounds, therapeutic proteins, and novel drug candidates. Recent advancements in genetic engineering, synthetic biology, and adaptive evolution have contributed to the optimization of microbial strains for pharmaceutical applications, playing a crucial role in enhancing their productivity and stability. The CRISPR-Cas system is widely utilized as a precise genome modification tool, enabling the enhancement of metabolite biosynthesis and the activation of synthetic biological pathways. Additionally, synthetic biology approaches allow for the targeted design of microorganisms with improved metabolic efficiency and therapeutic potential, thereby accelerating the development of new pharmaceutical products. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) plays a vital role in further advancing microbial engineering by predicting metabolic network interactions, optimizing bioprocesses, and accelerating the drug discovery process. However, challenges such as the efficient optimization of metabolic pathways, ensuring sustainable industrial-scale production, and meeting international regulatory requirements remain critical barriers in the field. Furthermore, to mitigate potential risks, it is essential to develop stringent biocontainment strategies and implement appropriate regulatory oversight. This review comprehensively examines recent innovations in microbial engineering, analyzing key technological advancements, regulatory challenges, and future development perspectives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Using Microbial Functions to Improve Health, Technology, and Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

36 pages, 3273 KiB  
Review
Where Biology Meets Engineering: Scaling Up Microbial Nutraceuticals to Bridge Nutrition, Therapeutics, and Global Impact
by Ahmed M. Elazzazy, Mohammed N. Baeshen, Khalid M. Alasmi, Shatha I. Alqurashi, Said E. Desouky and Sadat M. R. Khattab
Microorganisms 2025, 13(3), 566; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13030566 - 2 Mar 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2024
Abstract
The global nutraceutical industry is experiencing a paradigm shift, driven by an increasing demand for functional foods and dietary supplements that address malnutrition and chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, and cancer. Traditional plant- and animal-derived nutraceuticals face limitations in scalability, [...] Read more.
The global nutraceutical industry is experiencing a paradigm shift, driven by an increasing demand for functional foods and dietary supplements that address malnutrition and chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, and cancer. Traditional plant- and animal-derived nutraceuticals face limitations in scalability, cost, and environmental impact, paving the way for microbial biotechnology as a sustainable alternative. Microbial cells act as bio-factories, converting nutrients like glucose and amino acids into valuable nutraceutical products such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), peptides, and other bioactive compounds. By harnessing their natural metabolic capabilities, microorganisms efficiently synthesize these bioactive compounds, making microbial production a sustainable and effective approach for nutraceutical development. This review explores the transformative role of microbial platforms in the production of nutraceuticals, emphasizing advanced fermentation techniques, synthetic biology, and metabolic engineering. It addresses the challenges of optimizing microbial strains, ensuring product quality, and scaling production while navigating regulatory frameworks. Furthermore, the review highlights cutting-edge technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9 for genome editing, adaptive evolution for strain enhancement, and bioreactor innovations to enhance yield and efficiency. With a focus on sustainability and precision, microbial production is positioned as a game-changer in the nutraceutical industry, offering eco-friendly and scalable solutions to meet global health needs. The integration of omics technologies and the exploration of novel microbial sources hold the potential to revolutionize this field, aligning with the growing consumer demand for innovative and functional bioactive products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Using Microbial Functions to Improve Health, Technology, and Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

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
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2895
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
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Using Microbial Functions to Improve Health, Technology, and Applications)
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop