Abstract
Since 2001, DNA sequencing technology has been revolutionized. Currently, only using one sequencer, 10-100 times higher number of sequences than human genome sequences can be obtained in a day. Environmental community genomics (metagenomics) using the next generation sequencing technology have been also significantly advanced and widely and actively used in Europe and the United States for better understanding of unknown biological functions in environmental microorganisms. In such a revolutionized sequencing era, how have cultivation-based studies advanced? This review focuses on recent advances, current technological issues, promising technologies and future directions in culturing the uncultured microorganisms widely and abundantly present in the environments.
