New bacterial strains to help improve health, agriculture
Under ‘One Day One Genome’ mission, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC) are unlocking the microbial potential of India by releasing a fully annotated bacterial genome every day.
Researchers from BRIC+ institutes are uncovering the potential of unique bacterial species isolated from myriad sources ranging from the Lonar Lake in Maharashtra, endemic herbs of Northeast India to animal origin such as snake scat and the udder of Indian cows.
Uncovering potential of unique species
Researchers have found that Lactobacillus acetotolerans, a species of bacteria, in fermented bamboo shoots of Northeast could be used for food preservation
Klebsiella indica isolated from a tomato plant, can fix nitrogen. This could revolutionise Indian agriculture and promote sustainable farming practices
Novel bacterial strain RBPA9, isolated from the soil of a waste-dumping area in Bhubaneswar could be used to tackle pollutants
Identification of new bacterial strains will help researchers in identification of unique traits, monitoring pathogenic variants and ultimately planning the country’s healthcare strategies, improve agriculture outcomes as well as contribute to a sustainable environment.
Metagenomic analysis demonstrated the predominance of Lactobacillus acetotolerans, a species of bacteria, in fermented bamboo shoots of Northeast. Researchers revealed that the bacterial strain could be used for bamboo shoot fermentation and food preservation.
Genomics analysis of Klebsiella indica isolated from a tomato plant, reveals its capabilities of fixing nitrogen, which could revolutionise Indian agriculture and promote sustainable farming practices.
An official from DBT said, “Microorganisms play a vital role in our ecosystem, influencing everything from biogeochemical cycles and soil formation to human health and agriculture. In the last several years, Indian scientists have gathered genomic data of various Indian strains of microorganisms. The 'One Day One Genome' mission is making this genomic data more accessible to researchers, students and the general public.”
Genomic analysis of a bacteria called Alkalihalobacterium chitinilyticum sp. nov found in the sediments of Lonar lake in Maharashtra revealed that the strains of the bacteria could be used to produce detergents.
In another instance researchers also discovered a novel bacterial strain RBPA9, isolated from the soil of a waste-dumping area in Bhubaneswar. The strain’s unique biochemical could be used in tackling pollutants.
Elaborating 'One Day One Genome’ mission, an official from DBT said, “It aims to highlight the unique bacterial species found in India. Secondly, it seeks to demystify complex microbial genomic data, making it more understandable and accessible to a wider audience. Finally, it aims to create interest and excitement among young minds, especially school-going children, about the enormous potential of microbial genomics.”
A vast majority of microbial potential remains untapped. A National Science Foundation (NSF) publication reports that the Earth is inhabited by an estimated one trillion species of microbes with 99.999% of these microbes yet to be discovered.
