Microbial Journey: Mount Everest to Mars

Abstract

A rigorous exploration of microbial diversity has revealed its presence on Earth, deep oceans, and vast space. The presence of microbial life in diverse environmental conditions, ranging from moderate to extreme temperature, pH, salinity, oxygen, radiations, and altitudes, has provided the necessary impetus to search for them by extending the limits of their habitats. Microbiology started as a distinct science in the mid-nineteenth century and has provided inputs for the betterment of mankind during the last 150 years. As beneficial microbes are assets and pathogens are detrimental, studying both have its own merits. Scientists are nowadays working on illustrating the microbial dynamics in Earth's subsurface, deep sea, and polar regions. In addition to studying the role of microbes in the environment, the microbe-host interactions in humans, animals and plants are also unearthing newer insights that can help us to improve the health of the host by modulating the microbiota. Microbes have the potential to remediate persistent organic pollutants. Antimicrobial resistance which is a serious concern can also be tackled only after monitoring the spread of resistant microbes using disciplines of genomics and metagenomics The cognizance of microbiology has reached the top of the world. Space Missions are now looking for signs of life on the planets (specifically Mars), the Moon and beyond them. Among the most potent pieces of evidence to support the existence of life is to look for microbial, plant, and animal fossils. There is also an urgent need to deliberate and communicate these findings to layman and policymakers that would help them to take an adequate decision for better health and the environment around us. Here, we present a glimpse of recent advancements by scientists from around the world, exploring and exploiting microbial diversity.

Keywords: AMR; Mars; Microbial diversity; Microbial literacy; Microbiome; Quorum sensing; Subsurface.

Fig. 1

Schematic representation of the recent topics covered in this review. The endemic microbes have limitless advantages to humans and the role of microbial literacy in society is enormously important for conveying the knowledge to the masses. Search for microbial signatures is now being conducted on the neighbouring planets (Mars) based on the advances related to microbiology and technology

Fig. 2

Mechanism and transmission of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). a Overuse of antibiotics has influenced an increase in antibiotic resistance in microbes. b ARGs impose strong selection over susceptible microbes. c General mechanism of antibiotic resistance in bacteria and horizontal gene transfer. d Environmental contamination and global spread of ARGs