Microorganisms in Aquatic Environments: Emphasis on Computational, In Vitro and Ex Vivo Studies

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue seeks to uncover the role and mutual interactions of microorganisms in aquatic ecosystems, including aquaculture and open waters. The emphasis is on data produced using in vitro or ex vivo systems, as well as the sublimation of research data through advanced computational analysis. The goal is to develop a unique collection of studies that utilize cutting-edge technology and rely minimally on living animals. The above goal escalates the need for knowledge systemization and protocol harmonization in the era of rapid expansion of research based on Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS). Advanced lab methods, including primary cell culture, cell lines, fish explant cultures, and simulated digestion, can substantially reduce the use of animals, at least in the initial screening or selection phases of research. We welcome research on all aspects of microbial applications in aquatic environments, e.g., microbial ecology, interaction with the host, and nutritional studies. Furthermore, modifications of the nutritive value and microbiology of feeds and live food for fish (e.g., brine shrimp and rotifers) are of particular interest. This may be particularly relevant for larval fish, which have incompletely developed digestive and immunological systems, making them vulnerable to microbial overgrowth and feed indigestibility. The interpretation of data should be based on thorough statistical analysis. Aside from “wet” lab research, we welcome “dry” lab research: the compilation of extant sequencing data, mathematical modeling, etc. We encourage the submission of review articles, such as systematic overviews of microbiota compositions in aquatic species at various life phases and in diverse water habitats. Target research groups include, but are not limited to, microbiologists, chemists, mathematicians, ecologists, and aquaculture experts. We invite researchers to share innovative and applicable in vitro, ex vivo, and “dry” research lab results that are relevant to the topic. To ensure seamless integration with the scientific knowledge base, support for further studies, and the reuse of the results, we encourage authors to share their pre-analysis data as a supplement to the manuscript. Moreover, excessively long manuscripts failing to focus on the main hypothesis will not be considered. We recommend that authors focus on the key elements that will be evaluated during the revision: the need for the research, a clear hypothesis, the originality of the idea, the relevance of the methodology, and the soundness of the conclusions.

Dr. Jovanka Lukić
Dr. Uroš Ljubobratović
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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.

• microbiota
• aquaculture
• open water
• in vitro
• ex vivo
• sequencing
• modeling

• Beneficial Microorganisms in Aquaculture in Microorganisms (7 articles)