DNA sequencing reveals hidden microbial ecosystems in caves
Researchers have mapped the invisible microbial communities living in caves using advanced DNA sequencing, discovering that traditional lab methods miss most of what's actually there. The finding matters for protecting underground water supplies, predicting how caves respond to climate change, and understanding how microbes break down pollutants in subsurface environments.
Originaltitel: Contributions of DNA Sequencing Technologies to the Integrative Monitoring of Karstic Caves
<p>Cave microbiota knowledge has greatly expanded in the past decades, driven by the development of molecular techniques, which allow an in-depth characterization of diversity and its metabolic potential. This review focuses on the contribution of DNA sequencing technologies to depict the cave microbiome for the three domains of life (Bacteria, Archaea, and Microeukaryotes), assessing their advantages and limits. Cultural methods do not provide a representative view of cave microbial diversity but do offer, subsequently, the possibility to genomically characterize the strains isolated from caves. Next-generation DNA sequencing permits an exhaustive description of microbial biodiversity in caves, using metabarcoding (for taxonomic assessment) or metagenomics (for taxonomic and functional assessments). It proved useful to compare caves, different rooms, or substrata (water, soil, bedrock, etc.) within a cave, or the effect of cave disturbance in Lascaux and elsewhere. The integration of next-generation DNA sequencing with cultivation techniques, physico-chemical characterization, and other complementary approaches is important to understand the global functioning of caves and to provide key information to guide cave conservation strategies.</p>