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Innovative research has harnessed a gene-editing tool to better understand the essential biodiversity within natural ecosystems. Conducted by the University of Bristol and showcased in the journal Royal Society Open Science, this study has the potential to enhance soil productivity and contribute to improved ecological health.
Microorganisms are vital for the sustainability of ecosystems, facilitating nutrient cycling in soils and supporting human gut health. However, accurately identifying the vast variety of species in these environments poses significant challenges, as traditional methods typically capture only a limited portion of the total biodiversity.
Lucia Nikolaeva-Reynolds, a Biology graduate from the University of Bristol and the study’s first author, remarked, “Microbes dominate our planet. Though they often go unnoticed, they exist almost everywhere and fulfill critical ecological functions. The current techniques for monitoring these tiny organisms only allow us to observe a fraction of those present. This results in substantial gaps in our understanding of how this concealed microbial world contributes to ecosystem health.”
The research team tackled these challenges by repurposing CRISPR, a groundbreaking gene-editing technology, to acquire extensive DNA ‘barcodes’ that provide a more accurate identification of the microbes in a sample.
“By capturing long DNA signatures unique to each microbe and leveraging DNA sequencing for analysis, we can create a more comprehensive overview of the microbial communities at play,” Lucia explained.
This exciting development stemmed from Lucia’s undergraduate project, where she initially experimented with the approach. From there, she received funding from the Liv Sidse Jansen Memorial Foundation to expand her research into a viable methodology during a summer internship.
Co-author Christopher Cammies, a Biological Sciences Teaching Associate at the University of Bristol, noted, “This achievement would not have been possible without the foundation’s support, which fosters a variety of environmentally focused research initiatives, allowing us to elevate early ideas into impactful findings.”
Senior author Prof. Thomas Gorochowski, who serves as a Professor of Biological Engineering and a Royal Society Research Fellow at the University of Bristol, expressed enthusiasm about the project’s journey. “It’s rare for an undergraduate project to evolve into such an innovative experimental method. The combination of a talented and dedicated student with a passion for environmental research, the collaborative culture within our School of Biological Sciences, and invaluable support from the Liv Sidse Jansen Memorial Foundation made this possible. I look forward to seeing how this research will deepen our comprehension of microbial communities’ roles in nature.”
The study primarily received funding from the Liv Sidse Jansen Memorial Foundation, along with support from the Royal Society, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), and the teaching laboratories of the University’s School of Biological Sciences.
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