Jellyfish-Associated Microbiome in the Marine Environment: Exploring Its Biotechnological Potential

Despite accumulating evidence of the importance of the jellyfish-associated microbiome
to jellyfish, its potential relevance to blue biotechnology has only recently been recognized. In this
review, we emphasize the biotechnological potential of host–microorganism systems and focus on
gelatinous zooplankton as a host for the microbiome with biotechnological potential. The basic
characteristics of jellyfish-associated microbial communities, the mechanisms underlying the
jellyfish-microbe relationship, and the role/function of the jellyfish-associated microbiome and its
biotechnological potential are reviewed. It appears that the jellyfish-associated microbiome is
discrete from the microbial community in the ambient seawater, exhibiting a certain degree of
specialization with some preferences for specific jellyfish taxa and for specific jellyfish populations,
life stages, and body parts. In addition, different sampling approaches and methodologies to study
the phylogenetic diversity of the jellyfish-associated microbiome are described and discussed.
Finally, some general conclusions are drawn from the existing literature and future research
directions are highlighted on the jellyfish-associated microbiome.