Editorial: Exploring the Role and Function of the Microbiota in Terrestrial Anaerobic Environments and Their Potential Biotechnological Application

0555568 - ÚŽFG 2022 RIV CH eng J - Journal Article
Wagner, A. O. - Westerholm, M. - Stres, B. - Kopečný, Jan
Editorial: Exploring the Role and Function of the Microbiota in Terrestrial Anaerobic Environments and Their Potential Biotechnological Application.
Frontiers in Microbiology. Roč. 12, JUL 27 (2021), č. článku 722268. ISSN 1664-302X. E-ISSN 1664-302X
Institutional support: RVO:67985904
Keywords : anaerobe * biotechnology * application
OECD category: Microbiology
Impact factor: 6.064, year: 2021
Method of publishing: Open access
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.722268/full

Microorganisms play a decisive role in the carbon cycle as decomposers of a wide range of organic substances–regardless of microbial, plant, or animal origin–and are capable of using them as energy or carbon sources. Degradation processes are found under aerobic, microaerophilic as well as anoxic conditions, whereby aerobic organisms yield much more energy (ATP) compared with anaerobic ones. While the aerobic metabolism relies on the presence of oxygen as a terminal electron acceptor resulting in H2O and CO2 as degradation products, in anaerobic environments energy can be gained by using electron acceptors such as sulfate, nitrite or CO2 or via fermentation. Degradation and subsequent processing of organic matter is often cascade-like and consortium driven. The execution of degradation steps is facilitated by particular microbial species or by a particular succession contributing to or ensuring a smooth functioning of the overall process. Anaerobes can be found in many natural habitats including sea, lakes, soils, and sediments, in the digestive tract of animals, but also in waste water treatment plants, and biogas reactors next to pharmaceutical and food production operations, where they play an important role in the stabilization of the overall processes.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0330029