We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Soil microplastics hidden web: interaction of microbes and viruses as a frontier for sustainable ecosystem recovery
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how microplastics in soil interact with microbial communities and viruses, forming biofilm-covered surfaces called plastispheres that alter soil ecology. Researchers explored how bacteriophages influence microbial traits through processes like horizontal gene transfer, which can both enhance plastic-degrading capabilities and spread antibiotic resistance genes. The study proposes a framework combining advanced analytical techniques like metagenomics with biotechnological approaches such as phage-assisted microbial augmentation to support soil recovery under microplastic stress.
Microplastics (MPs) act as an emerging contaminant in agricultural ecosystems, affecting the health and function of the soil. Their presence can alter soil physicochemical properties, disrupt nutrient cycling processes, and ultimately influence crop productivity and quality. Meanwhile, MPs can also modify the soil microbiome by forming polymer-associated biofilms known as plastispheres, and altering the interactions between various microbial taxa. With a focus on the impact of bacteriophages on microbial communities and traits through processes like lysis, lysogeny, and horizontal gene transfer, this review summarizes the current understanding of soil-specific interactions between microorganisms and viruses. While examining the dual ecological effects of viral horizontal gene transfer on both plastic-degrading capacities, and the spread of antibiotic resistance, possible relationships between phage activity and soil biogeochemical processes are evaluated. Together with carefully planned biotechnological approaches, such as phage-assisted microbial augmentation and the application of virus-like particles, innovative analytical techniques, including metagenomics, viromics, and single-cell methodologies, enable the investigation of new diagnostic methods and potential approaches to support soil recovery under MP stress. In conclusion, a practical framework is proposed that connects diagnostics to management, focusing on continuous monitoring, standardized indicators, and a comprehensive risk assessment. This review demonstrates that MPs serve not only as physical pollutants but also as an abiotic stressor that alter the interactions among microbes, viruses, and soils. This finding indicates that the soil virome plays a significant yet underexplored role in the sustainability of agriculture.
More Papers Like This
Sources, interactions, influencing factors and ecological risks of microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes in soil: A review
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastics in soil serve as hotspots for antibiotic resistance genes, with the plastisphere — the microbial community colonizing plastic surfaces — facilitating horizontal gene transfer of resistance markers. Key factors driving this interaction include microplastic properties, soil chemistry, and agricultural practices, though research in soil environments is still at an early stage compared to aquatic systems.
Successional patterns of virus–host interactions and viral functional potential in the soil plastisphere
AI summary Read the abstract
A lab experiment tracked microbial and viral communities growing on microplastics buried in soil over time. The microbes and viruses changed in organized patterns as time passed, with incubation time mattering more than the type of plastic, and certain viruses carried genes linked to biofilm formation.
Microplastic and lead shift microbiomes enriching viral auxiliary metabolic genes for potential polylactic acid degradation.
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed buckwheat and its rhizosphere microbiome to polylactic acid microplastics, lead, and their combination, finding that co-contamination suppressed bacterial carbon and phosphorus metabolism while enriching viral auxiliary metabolic genes—including a newly identified carbohydrate esterase confirmed to hydrolyze PLA ester bonds—suggesting viruses may play an underappreciated role in biodegradable microplastic degradation in soil.
soil plastisphere: The nexus of microplastics, bacteria, and biofilms
AI summary Read the abstract
This commentary examines how microplastics in soil create new microbial ecosystems called the plastisphere, where bacteria colonize plastic surfaces and form biofilms. Researchers discuss how microplastics can carry harmful pathogens and contaminants through soil and into water systems. The study emphasizes the urgent need to better understand how bacteria adapt to these microplastic-rich environments, given the implications for ecosystem and human health.
Soil plastispheres as hotspots of antibiotic resistance genes and potential pathogens
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated microbial communities and antibiotic resistance genes on microplastic surfaces (the plastisphere) in soil environments. They found that plastispheres harbor enriched levels of potential pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes compared to surrounding soil, and that adding manure or increasing temperature and moisture further amplified these concerning microbial communities.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.