Let microorganisms do the talking, let us talk more about microorganisms.

Julia Offe,Boris Magrini,Corrado Nai

doi:10.1186/s40694-016-0023-9

Julia Offe, Boris Magrini

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40694-016-0023-9

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Abstract

Microorganisms are of uttermost importance, yet in the eyes of the general public they are often associated with dirt and diseases. At the same time, microbiologists have access to and comprehensive knowledge of just a tiny minority of the microbial diversity existing in nature. In this commentary, we present these issues of public misconception and scientific limitations and their possible consequences, and propose ways to overcome them. A particular interest is directed toward the secondary metabolism of filamentous fungi as well as novel outreach activities, including so-called “science slams” and interactions between the arts and the sciences, to raise awareness about the relevance of microorganisms.

Highlights

Microorganisms are of uttermost importance, yet in the eyes of the general public they are often associated with dirt and diseases
Microorganisms like Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Neurospora crassa have been the workhorses of molecular biology and playgrounds for scientific and technological breakthroughs [13, 16, 17]; recent discoveries on the “immune system” of streptococci [18] are currently used as CRISPR/Cas technology to edit genomes across all domains of life, including human zygotes [19] and embryos [20], and fuelling an ongoing scientific revolution [21, 22]
We argue that new cultivation techniques are necessary to activate the silent secondary metabolism of filamentous fungi, and, in particular, that co-cultivation experiments under natural conditions are greatly implementable

Summary

Introduction

Microorganisms are of uttermost importance, yet in the eyes of the general public they are often associated with dirt and diseases. The need for new antibiotics, compounded by our inability to grow many microorganisms, leads the exploitation of microbial secondary metabolism in natural niches an important experimental goal.

Results

Conclusion