Abstract

After the rapid development of genome sequencing tools in recent decades, the holistic study of biological systems has been gaining strength. Additionally, new technologies of high-throughput analysis such as transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics, have helped to integrate different types of data favouring a more comprehensive understanding of cells physiology and ecology. Metabolomics, in particular, has allowed the study of the complexities of cellular metabolism, facilitating the overall analysis of metabolic pathways and the understanding of the biochemistry associated. Metabolic biomarkers derived from metabolomic studies, that allow monitoring cell behaviour, have become important tools in cellular physiology studies and in biotechnological applications. In acidophiles, advanced scientific studies have provided a better understanding of their physiology and utilization in the biotechnological industry. However, much remains to be investigated, and many of these microorganisms are still unknown or have not been successfully isolated. The use of high-throughput "omics" tools, such as metabolomics, has contributed to integrated data analysis of their behaviour and complexity, giving a new view of the acidophiles system biology. In this chapter, we review the use of metabolomics as an advanced platform for the study of acidophile biology and its contribution and prospects for biotechnological applications.