Genetic Manipulation of a CAST of Characters in a Microbial Community

摘要

Nearly all microbes on the planet live in communities. Most experimental studies, however, use monoculture to elucidate gene and microbe functions. Modifying the DNA of individual constituents in a microbial community and investigating the phenotypic consequences of these manipulations in a near-native context has thus far been challenging. Most microbes have not been isolated or successfully cultured outside their native environments. Even for those bacteria that can be cultivated, we often lack the robust tools (i.e., replicating plasmids) necessary for gene editing. Thus, there is an unmet need for tools to tackle these numerous challenges and to advance our understanding of the complex phenomena present in native microbial communities.