Emerging microbial remediation methods for rejuvenation of pesticide-contaminated sites

• Rigorous use of pesticides creates persistent contamination. • Systemic biology knowledge is crucial for the refinement of microbial bioremediation strategies. • Postgenomic technologies effective for finer understanding of growth, dynamics, and functions of the microorganisms intricate in bioremediation. • OMICs studies disclose relevant possible microbial degradation genes and proteins. • Bioinformatic tool exploration eases the acquaintance of molecular mechanisms and metabolic pathways about xenobiotic biodegradation. The fate of pesticides in the soil is of concern due to the extended footprint on the ecosystem. Chemical and physical remediation methods have limitations in restoring the environment to its proximal or actual state. Presently, in-situ bioremediation has become a prime field for environmental restoration, employing bacteria, fungi, algae, and plants as economically viable and eco-friendly. Recent advancements in network analysis, computational biology, and omics approaches can be employed to unravel the biodegradation and deterioration potential of organisms. Omics approaches like genomics, metagenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics offer integrated information for functional gene exploration to understand cell physiology and molecular mechanisms throughout the degradation process. The Burkholderia, Pseudomonas, and Rhodococcus genera are highly capable of degrading pesticides, which were validated using different genomic tools. Transcriptome analysis uses microarrays and RNA-Seq to evaluate the differential genomic expression pattern of potent degrading microbes. The inclusion of proteomics studies with MALDI TOF/TOF MS and metabolomics using GC/MS, HPLC-MS, LC/MS is gaining importance in pesticide biodegradation. Additionally, enzyme engineering could aid in increasing the stability and potency to overcome the limitations of applications. The present review provides advanced insights for a deeper understanding of interactivity and networks at the genetic, molecular, and cellular levels to open new perspectives in the domain of bioremediation.