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High-Resolution Screening for Marine Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes With Selective Preference for Polyethylene and Polyethylene Terephthalate Surfaces
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Researchers used nanopore sequencing to identify marine microorganisms selectively colonizing polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate plastic surfaces, finding distinct microbial communities on each polymer type that differed from glass controls and surrounding seawater.
Marine plastic debris serve as substrates for the colonization of a variety of prokaryote and eukaryote organisms. Of particular interest are the microorganisms that have adapted to thrive on plastic as they may contain genes, enzymes or pathways involved in the adhesion or metabolism of plastics. We implemented DNA metabarcoding with nanopore MinION sequencing to compare the 1-month-old biomes of hydrolyzable (polyethylene terephthalate) and non-hydrolyzable (polyethylene) plastics surfaces vs. those of glass and the surrounding water in a Mediterranean Sea marina. We sequenced longer 16S rRNA, 18S rRNA, and ITS barcode loci for a more comprehensive taxonomic profiling of the bacterial, protist, and fungal communities, respectively. Long read sequencing enabled high-resolution mapping to genera and species. Using previously established methods we performed differential abundance screening and identified 30 bacteria and five eukaryotic species, that were differentially abundant on plastic compared to glass. This approach will allow future studies to characterize the plastisphere communities and to screen for microorganisms with a plastic-metabolism potential.
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High-resolution screening for marine prokaryotic and eukaryotic taxa with selective preference for PE and PET surfaces
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This study used high-resolution genomic screening to identify marine microorganisms that selectively colonize polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic surfaces in the ocean. The research identified specific prokaryotic and eukaryotic taxa with potential roles in plastic colonization or metabolism, providing targets for future biodegradation research.
Microbial Communities on Plastic Polymers in the Mediterranean Sea
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Researchers collected floating microplastics from a bay in the Mediterranean and analyzed their bacterial biofilm communities using 16S rRNA sequencing, finding that microbial communities on plastics were distinct from surrounding seawater and differed between polymer types.
Evidence for selective bacterial community structuring on microplastics
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Plastic substrates incubated in Baltic Sea water developed distinct bacterial communities that differed significantly from those on glass surfaces and from the surrounding water, with some plastic-colonizing taxa selected for regardless of polymer type. The study provides experimental evidence that plastic surfaces act as selective filters for microbial community assembly, contributing to the concept of a unique plastisphere.
Unique Bacterial Community of the Biofilm on Microplastics in Coastal Water
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Researchers compared bacterial communities forming biofilms on steel, silica, and PVC microplastic surfaces in coastal seawater and found that biofilm composition differed by material type. This shows that the type of plastic surface influences which microbial communities colonize it, with implications for how microplastics may spread specific bacteria.
Spatial and seasonal variation in diversity and structure of microbial biofilms on marine plastics in Northern European waters
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Researchers investigated how microbial biofilm communities on marine plastics vary by season, location, and plastic type in Northern European waters. The study found distinct spatial and seasonal patterns in plastisphere microbial communities on polyethylene terephthalate surfaces, providing insights into how plastic debris develops unique biological communities in marine environments.
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.