The microbial metagenome is the most important source of genes in the biosphere and it is responsible for maintaining the biogenic cycles. Consequently, the microbial metagenome determines the main source of enzymatic reactions that take place on Earth.

The CONSOLIDER project is based on the observation that almost 99% of soil microbiota is difficult to culture under laboratory conditions, which means that their biotechnological potential remains unexplored and consequently unknown, although it represents an important and basic source of knowledge for future technological applications.