Detalle de: Impact of Extracellular Vesicles in the Microbial Dark Matter

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid-bound structures released by cells that transport nucleic acids and other biomolecules, and their origins can be traced back to the earliest stages of life on Earth. Although EV production is widespread among microorganisms, their ecological role in natural ecosystems remains largely unknown, particularly within microbial dark matter, which comprises the vast majority of uncultured bacteria and archaea.

The DarkVesicle project aims to uncover the role of EVs as mediators of communication and genetic exchange among microorganisms belonging to microbial dark matter. Understanding these processes is essential to explain how microbial communities respond to environmental stress, exchange adaptive traits, and evolve under challenging conditions. The project will also investigate the relative contributions of EVs and bacteriophages to the movement of genetic information within microbial ecosystems.

The knowledge generated will improve our understanding of the mechanisms that promote the adaptation and resilience of microbial communities, identify previously unknown biological functions in uncultured microorganisms, and uncover genetic resources with potential biotechnological applications, including bioremediation of contaminated environments. Although the project focuses on ecosystems exposed to xenobiotic stress, its findings will be relevant to a broad range of natural and engineered ecosystems.

By revealing the role of extracellular vesicles in microbial dark matter, DarkVesicle seeks to transform our understanding of microbial communication, horizontal gene transfer, and the processes that shape microbial evolution and ecosystem function.