Microbial metabolomics: From novel technologies to diversified applications

Microbial metabolomics focuses on the analysis of intracellular or extracellular primary metabolites, signaling molecules, hormones, and secondary metabolites, and it is an important field in systems biology. The progress in microbial metabolomics has been slow primarily due to the complexity and diversity of microbial metabolites, which are usually difficult to identify. However, with the rapid development of novel analytical techniques, microbial metabolomics has attracted increasing attention because it not only elucidates the network of various metabolic pathways, but also expounds the mechanisms underlying the interactions between microbes and hosts. This review discusses the current state of the art novel technologies, including instrument platforms, sample preparation methods, and data handling and analysis tools and resources for microbial metabolomics. In addition, we also describe the recent applications and challenges associated with microbial metabolomics.