We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
The toxicity effects of nano/microplastics on an antibiotic producing strain - Streptomyces coelicolor M145
AI summary Read the abstract
Streptomyces coelicolor M145 exposed to nano/microplastics (20 nm to 1 mm) at 0.1–10 mg/L showed size- and concentration-dependent cytotoxicity and oxidative stress, with 20 nm nanoplastics at 10 mg/L causing 64.8% mortality — and all particle sizes altering antibiotic production in this industrial microorganism.
The toxic effects of nano/microplastics on microorganisms are still unclear. In this study, Streptomyces coelicolor (S. coelicolor) M145 was selected to study the toxicity and mechanism of nano/microplastics (20 nm, 100 nm, 1 μm and 1 mm) at concentration of 0.1, 1 and 10 mg/L on microorganisms. Results showed that the cytotoxicity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, permeability, and antibiotic production of M145 cells changed significantly after the addition of nano/microplastics, and the trends were size and concentration dependent. After M145 was exposed to 10 mg/L of 20 nm nanoplastics, its fatality rate was 64.8%, which was the highest among the particle size of 20 nm to 1 mm at a concentration of 0.1-10 mg/L. And the ROS level and cell permeability also reached their highest values, which was about 2.7 folds and 2.2 folds of control, respectively. After this treatment, the maximum yields of actinorhodin and undecylprodigiosin were 6.7 and 5.3 mg/L, respectively. Transcriptome analysis indicated that nanoplastics could inhibit the transport capacity, primary metabolism, and oxidative phosphorylation of M145, and that the inhibition extend was negatively related to the particle size. Moreover, the toxicity of microplastics to M145 was significantly less than that of nanoplastics. This study provides a new perspective for understanding the toxicity of nano/microplastics on microorganisms in nature.
More Papers Like This
Dose-Dependent Responses of Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter sp. to Micron-Sized Polystyrene Microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed E. coli and Acinetobacter sp. to 1,040 nm polystyrene microplastics across a range of concentrations and assessed growth, oxidative stress, membrane integrity, and biofilm formation. Both species showed concentration-dependent decreases in growth and cell viability, increased oxidative stress markers, impaired membrane integrity, and enhanced biofilm formation, demonstrating microplastic toxicity to environmental and human-associated bacteria.
The combined effects of nanoplastics and dibutyl phthalate on Streptomyces coelicolor M145
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined the combined toxicity of nanoplastics and the plasticizer dibutyl phthalate on Streptomyces coelicolor, finding that their co-exposure produces different effects than either contaminant alone, highlighting concerns about combined plastic-related pollution.
Micro-nanoplastics induce the physiological toxicity and metabolic disorder of Bacillus cereus DFH-1
AI summary
Researchers exposed the bacterium Bacillus cereus to micro- and nanoplastics of varying polymer types and sizes, finding that 150 nm PET nanoparticles caused the greatest harm—inhibiting early growth, deforming cell morphology, reducing antioxidant enzyme activity, and broadly disrupting metabolic pathways including the tricarboxylic acid cycle.
Biological Responses of Bacillus subtilis toward Nanoplastics under Nutritional Stress in Freshwater Ecosystems
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics are toxic to the bacterium Bacillus subtilis under nutrient-poor conditions typical of natural freshwater, with even very low concentrations (2 micrograms per liter) reducing bacterial growth during prolonged exposure. The bacteria initially defended themselves by secreting protective substances, but these defenses eventually failed, leading to irreversible cell death from membrane damage and oxidative stress.
Size-dependent modulation of tetracycline hydrochloride toxicity by polystyrene micro/nanoplastics in the model freshwater ciliate Paramecium tetraurelia
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists found that tiny plastic particles (like those breaking down from everyday plastic waste) can make the antibiotic tetracycline more harmful to living cells—and the size of the plastic particle matters a lot. Smaller plastics (50 and 500 nanometers) worsened cell damage and stress, while slightly larger plastic particles (5 micrometers) actually reduced the antibiotic's harmful effects. This matters because plastics and antibiotic residues often show up together in water supplies, and this research (done in a single-celled organism, not humans) suggests we can't assess the risk of these pollutants separately—their
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.