SynComs should be rigorously defined, not renamed.

Wang, Miaoxiao; Nie, Yong · Nat Commun · 2026

Where this comes from

Abstract

Koch et al. propose replacing “synthetic microbial communities (SynComs)” with “defined microbial communities”. We argue that this substitution obscures the design-driven logic of SynCom research, and that the field needs clearer conceptual classification rather than a broader renaming of SynComs.