Chapter 4 - Metagenomics to unravel the microbial biodiversity and biotechnological potential of extreme high salinity environments

Abstract

The concept of Microbial Dark Matter (MDM) refers to the wide biodiversity of yet-uncultivated microorganisms that can only be identified and studied by resorting to culture-independent techniques. These uncultured microbes are estimated to be dominant in all environments on Earth. The development of cutting-edge culture-independent techniques, including metagenomics, has helped to catalog the complexity and diversity of these gifted microorganisms, often revealing new Candidatus taxa, and leading to the discovery of compounds and biocatalysts with novel chemistries that represent unique opportunities for therapeutic and industrial application, as well as for innovative biotechnology. In this chapter, we provide an overview of how metagenomics-based approaches revolutionized the bioprospecting campaigns on extreme environments, with special emphasis on hypersaline locations. We describe its contribution toward unveiling the MDM of these habitats, highlighting some discoveries of novel taxa and bioactive molecules, and outlining their potential applications.