Unlocking Non-Model Microbes for Biotechnology

Biotechnology has long relied on a handful of model microorganisms, such as Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, whose genetics and physiology are deeply characterized. Yet these workhorses represent only a fraction of microbial diversity. Non-model bacteria, yeasts, and microalgae—many thriving in extreme or specialized niches—possess distinctive metabolic capabilities, stress tolerance, and biosynthetic potential that model hosts cannot replicate. They can offer native pathways to valuable chemicals, robust growth on unconventional feedstocks, and photosynthetic carbon fixation. Recent progress in synthetic and systems biology—spanning genome editing, multi-omics profiling, genome-scale modeling, and laboratory automation—is now making these once-intractable strains accessible for rational engineering. Harnessing this diversity promises to broaden the biotechnological toolbox and unlock sustainable routes to biofuels, high-value compounds, and environmental solutions.This Research Topic aims to bring together advances that make non-model microbes tractable and productive for biotechnology, integrating both synthetic biology and systems biology perspectives. A central challenge remains the scarcity of standardized genetic tools and well-characterized parts for these hosts, compounded by limited genomic and physiological knowledge. We seek contributions that address these gaps through the development of genome-editing and transformation methods, characterized regulatory elements, and metabolic engineering strategies tailored to diverse bacteria, yeasts, and microalgae. Equally, we welcome systems-level studies—multi-omics analyses, genome-scale metabolic models, and predictive design frameworks—that deepen mechanistic understanding and guide engineering. High-throughput screening, automation, and cell-free prototyping can accelerate the characterization and optimization of non-model strains, while interdisciplinary collaboration among synthetic biologists, microbiologists, and computational scientists is essential to building robust platforms. Ultimately, this Research Topic seeks to showcase the untapped potential of microbial diversity, stimulate innovative methodologies, and chart new applications, advancing sustainable and impactful biotechnological solutions.This Research Topic welcomes studies that extend synthetic and systems biology approaches to non-model bacteria, yeasts, and microalgae. We welcome contributions on the following themes, but not limited to:• Development and optimization of genetic tools, parts, and transformation methods for non-model hosts.• Genome editing, metabolic engineering, and synthetic pathway construction.• Systems biology approaches, including multi-omics, genome-scale modeling, and regulatory network analysis.• High-throughput screening, automation, and cell-free prototyping for strain characterization.• Biotechnological applications, such as biofuels, biochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and bioremediation.We invite original research, methods, review, and perspective articles that illuminate the challenges, solutions, and future directions of engineering non-model microbes. Interdisciplinary and collaborative studies integrating synthetic biology, microbiology, bioinformatics, and computational biology are strongly encouraged. By contributing, authors will help advance the field and realize the potential of microbial diversity for innovative biotechnology.Please note that Microbiotechnology does not consider descriptive studies that are solely based on amplicon (e.g., 16S rRNA) profiles or comparisons of nucleic acid extracts (e.g., metagenomics), unless they are accompanied by a clear hypothesis and experimentation and provide insight into the microbiological system or process being studied. Topic editors: Sung Sun Yim, Nam Kyu Kang, Seung-Ho Baek Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/83660/unlocking-non-model-microbes-for-biotechnology