by Matteo Cavallito<\/p>\n
Soil, microbiome <\/strong>performs several functions that are crucial for plants and the ecosystem. However, the variety of microorganisms involved is still largely unknown, due to the challenge of monitoring and exploring such a vast environment. Nevertheless, some projects now promise to bring new knowledge. Among these is the work of geneticists at Johns Hopkins University<\/strong> who, in collaboration with external researchers and students, have embarked on a particularly ambitious project: cataloging the soil microbiome in the United States<\/strong>. The survey, described in an article<\/a> published in the journal Nature Genetics, has already led to the discovery of over a thousand new strains of bacteria and microbes that had never been identified before.<\/p>\n