Microbiome & Microbiology Review

Advances in sequencing technology have greatly expanded our ability to identify and survey the staggeringly diverse and ever-expanding microbial world¹. Newly discovered species could be an untapped source of novel bioactive molecules such as antibiotics²; however, the potential of this vast microbial diversity has not been fully realized. Fewer than 2% of all microbial species are currently culturable³. This is due to a lack of knowledge about growth requirements^3,4, and the tedious, labour-intensive experiments that stand in the way of this essential knowledge.