Microorganisms unculturable

D. M. Ward, R. Weller, and M. M. Bateson, 16S rRNA sequences reveal numerous uncultured microorganisms in a natural community. Nature 345 63 (1990). 

The relation between microbial diversity and soil functions is poorly understood because we cannot measure easily the microbial diversity, even if we can detect unculturable microorganisms by molecular techniques (Nannipieri et al. 2003). In addition, the present assays for measuring microbial functions determine the overall rate of entire metabolic processes, such as respiration, or specific enzyme activities, without identifying the active microbial species involved. The recent advances in RNA extraction from soil might permit us to determine active species in soil (Griffiths et al. 2000 Hurt et al. 2001). Further advances in understanding require us to determine the composition of microbial communities and microbial functions in microhabitats. 

Handelstnan, J., Rondon, M.R., Brady, S.F., Clardy, J. and Goodman, R.M., Molecular biological access to the chemistry of unknown soil microbes a new frontier for natural products. Chem. Biol., 1998, 5, 245-249. Handelsman, J., Metagenomics application of genomics to uncultured microorganisms. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev., 2004, 68, 669-685. 

Things worsen if unculturable microorganisms are considered. They are commonly believed to represent 99.9% ofthe whole microbial community, in contrast with the view that the global richness of free-living microbial species is moderate (Finlay 1999). Between the two positions, cautious estimates have been made as to the number of new species of microorganisms that remain to be discovered (May 1994). 

Handelsman J (2004) Metagenomics application of genomics to uncultured microorganisms. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 68 669-685... 

Rondon, M.R. et al. Cloning the soil metagenome a strategy for accessing the genetic and functional diversity of uncultured microorganisms, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66 2541-2547 (2000). 

Handelsman, 1. 2004. Metagenomics Application of genomics to uncultured microorganisms. Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, 68 669-85. 

Radajewski, S., McDonald, I. R., and MurreU, J. C. (2003). Stable-isotope probing of nucleic acids a window to the function of uncultured microorganisms. Curr. Opin. Biotechnol. 14, 296—302. 

Same laser for Raman and one optical tweezers 785 nm Saccharomyces cerevisia, Escherichia coli (E. coli) Shift of phenylalanine at 1,002 cm to 965 cm, indicates uptake of C-13 Feasibility of studying unculturable microorganisms is demonstrated... 

Seow, K-T., G. Meurer, M. Gerlitz, E. Wendt-Pienkowski, C.R. Hutchinson and J. Davies (1997). A study of iterative type 11 polyketide synthases, using bacterial genes cloned from soil DNA a means to access and use genes from uncultured microorganisms. J. Bacteriol. 179 7360-7368. 

Kvist, T., Ahring, B., Lasken, R., et al.. Specific single-cell isolation and genomic amplification of uncultured microorganisms, Appl Microbiol Biotechnol, 74, 926-935, 2006. 

Ward DM, Weller R, Bateson MM (1990) 16S ribosomal-RNA sequences reveal numerous uncultured microorganisms in a natural community. Nature 345 63 Blackburn CD, McCarthy JD (2000) Modifications to methods for the enumeration and detection of injured Escherichia colt 0157 H7 in foods. Int J Food Microbiol 55 285 Kogure K, Simidu U, Taga N (1979) A tentative direct microscopic method for counting living marine bacteria. Can J Microbiol 25 415... 

---