Microbes comprise an exceptionally diverse group of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms that are characterized by micron level (10-6 m) body dimensions. They are ubiquitous in nature. In addition to commonly explored niches such as soil, air, water, surface and internal tissues of organisms, microbes are known to live and thrive in the environments that are anthropogenically defined to be “extreme”, e.g. Arctic and Antarctic regions, hot-springs, solar salterns and hydrothermal vents. Though microbes are apparently small, they are known to play vital roles (as saprobes, endophytes, pathogens, parasites) in ecosystem structure and function. Microbes are an integral component of the Biosphere; therefore, there is a need to explore the extent of microbial diversity on this Earth.
The microbial diversity is enormous. However only 1-5% of it has been believed to be characterized- indicating most of the diversity remains to be studied and cultured in vitro. Selected ecological niches will are routinely examined by metagenomic approaches for screening of enzymes, metabolites and bioactive molecules etc.
Therefore these microbial consortia can, in the future, be exploited as useful sources of basic materials for the development of pharmaceutical drugs, agrochemicals, bioremediation, biocontrol agents and products for other industries.
