Soil microbiome engineering for sustainability in a changing environment

The review article "Soil Microbiome Engineering for Sustainability in a Changing Environment" by Janet K. Jansson, Ryan McClure, and Robert G. Egbert, published in Nature Biotechnology, delves into how recent advancements in microbial ecology and synthetic biology can combat environmental degradation affecting soil health. The authors discuss the use of both natural and synthetic microbial communities to promote plant growth and enhance soil restoration efforts under various environmental scenarios. This comprehensive review also covers the latest scientific and technological developments, including the characterization of impactful microbes, the strategic assembly of microbial communities in soil, and innovative gene-engineering techniques. Highlighting an interdisciplinary approach, the article stresses the importance of understanding and deploying beneficial soil microbiomes as a means to mitigate or even reverse the adverse effects of human activities on soil ecosystems.