Microbial vault: The race to save Earth's disappearing microbes

The Microbiota Vault Initiative is growing fast. Announced on World Microbiome Day, it aims to protect microbial diversity before it disappears. This nonprofit project, inspired by the Svalbard Seed Vault, wants to preserve crucial microbes from people, animals and the environment.

“The Microbiota Vault Initiative represents a proactive effort to protect and preserve the microbial life that is essential for the health of our planet and its inhabitants,” noted Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello, who leads the initiative.

With guidance from 25 scientists across different continents, the Vault is shaping global policy on microbial conservation. By archiving healthy microbes, the Vault could help future generations prevent health crises and ecological collapse.

Why microbes are disappearing

Microbial communities keep our systems running. In humans, they help digest food, shape immunity and reduce disease risk. In soil, they recycle nutrients and maintain plant growth. In permafrost, they trap carbon and control methane emissions.

But modern lifestyles are chipping away at these microbial partners. Dominguez-Bello’s research shows that cesarean births, antibiotics, and formula feeding disrupt gut microbes. Industrial diets also harm beneficial species.

“The microbiome is under big threat, a threat that is in many ways analogous to climate change,” warned Martin Blaser, the Henry Rutgers Chair of the Human Microbiome at Rutgers University.

Why Microbiota Vault is different

Unlike seed banks that back up crop genetics, this vault goes further. It stores unique microbes that might never be collected again. Samples come from human stool, fermented foods and, soon, vulnerable environments.

Already, over 1,200 human samples and 190 food samples have been cryopreserved at minus 80 degrees Celsius (minus 112 degrees Fahrenheit) in Zurich.

The initiative stores backup copies at the depositor’s request. All rights remain with local collectors. They can ask for DNA sequencing under open-access terms. The vault itself does not patent or commercialize anything.

What makes this effort ethical

From the start, ethics and fairness have guided every decision. Depositors retain full control. Communities that supply samples get proper recognition and share in any future benefits.

“We are absolutely committed to developing the Microbiota Vault in a way that maximizes equity around the world.,” stated Dominguez-Bello.

Workshops help researchers adopt standard protocols. The Global Microbiome Network symposia (GloMiNe), held annually, bring together scientists, ethicists, and policymakers. Locations so far include Peru, Africa, Asia and Chile.

Microbiota Vault helps the climate

Losses in microbial biodiversity threaten both human and planetary health. For instance, Bifidobacterium infantis, once common in infant guts, is declining in industrial societies. This loss links to higher allergy and diabetes risks.

Other examples are equally worrying. The bacterium Helicobacter pylori, though known for causing ulcers, once helped regulate immune responses. Its decline may contribute to the incidence of asthma and metabolic issues.

In nature, Methanoflorens stordalenmirensis, which is found in Arctic permafrost, helps control methane storage. Losing it could worsen climate change.

Building for the future

The current Microbiota Vault development phase, called “Growth Phase 1,” will run to 2029. Scientists aim to collect 10,000 samples and build a permanent vault in a cold region like Switzerland or Canada. Future steps include adding samples from threatened environments and improving global capacity.

Though techniques for restoring microbes remain uncertain, storing them now may support future therapies and climate recovery. Reintroducing extinct microbes may not be possible, but preserving them offers a vital safety net.

“If it is too late, and key members of the microbiome are gone, like the dodo bird, we can’t restore them, unless we have them safely stored away” remarked Blaser.

Microbiota Vault joins global efforts

This is not just a scientific project. It is a worldwide call to recognize microbial diversity as essential heritage. The Vault works with Indigenous communities, emphasizes depositor sovereignty, and engages with global biodiversity policies, including the Nagoya Protocol.

The initiative also partners with other efforts like the Global Microbiome Conservancy and the U.K. Crop Microbiome Cryobank, building a united front to conserve life’s smallest allies.

The Microbiota Vault is not a backup plan, it is a lifeline. In the face of ecological and health threats, it offers a rare chance to act before more vital microbes are lost.

The study is published in the journal Nature Communications.

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