Open Access

ARTICLE

Soil Metagenomics: new challenges and biotechnological opportunities

by Hernández-León R, I Velázquez-Sepúlveda, MC Orozco-Mosqueda, G Santoyo

Laboratorio de Recombinación y Diversidad Genómica, Instituto de Investigaciones Químico Biológicas, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo. Ciudad Universitaria, Edificio A1´, Morelia, Michoacán, México. C.P. 58030.

* Corresponding Authors:Address Correspondence to: Dr. Gustavo Santoyo, e-mail: ;

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2010, 79(all), 133-139. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2010.79.133

Abstract

Soil is a complex system that includes a great number and diversity of microorganisms. Until recently, only a small percentage of the bioma was known and could be studied. Currently, it is possible to have a deeper knowledge of all that unknown genomic material with the development of new tools, like metagenomics. New molecules have been discovered with various biotechnological applications, and knowledge of the diverse microbiological interactions in several environments, some of them with extreme life conditions, is much higher. We analyze the most recent literature in the field of metagenomics in this study, especially that related with the soil. Achievements of the Metacontrol project (metagenomics of diseasesuppressive soils) are also described. We finally propose various challenges to be overcome in metagenomics, and new biotechnological opportunities emerging with this new science.

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