Organism

Biotechnology

Ribosomal DNA

Bioremediation

16S ribosomal RNA

Bacteria

Biology

Phylogenetics

Gene

Engineering

Temperature gradient gel electrophoresis

Restriction fragment length polymorphism

Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism

Microorganism

Biochemical engineering

Synthetic biology

Microbial consortium

Amplified Ribosomal DNA Restriction Analysis

Computational biology

Polymerase chain reaction

Genetics

Critical Reviews in Biotechnology

Design of a microbial consortium is a newly emerging field that enables researchers to extend the frontiers of biotechnology from a pure culture to mixed cultures. A microbial consortium enables microbes to use a broad range of carbon sources. It provides microbes with robustness in response to environmental stress factors. Microbes in a consortium can perform complex functions that are impossible for a single organism. With advancement of technology, it is now possible to understand microbial interaction mechanism and construct consortia. Microbial consortia can be classified in terms of their construction, modes of interaction, and functions. Here we discuss different trends in the study of microbial functions and interactions, including single-cell genomics (SCG), microfluidics, fluorescent imaging, and membrane separation. Community profile studies using polymerase chain-reaction denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE), amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA), and terminal restriction fragment-length polymorphism (T-RFLP) are also reviewed. We also provide a few examples of their possible applications in areas of biopolymers, bioenergy, biochemicals, and bioremediation.

Biotechnological potential of microbial consortia and future perspectives