We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Evidence for selective bacterial community structuring on microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
In aquatic ecosystems, microplastics are a relatively new anthropogenic substrate that can readily be colonized by biofilm-forming organisms. To examine the effects of substrate type on microbial community assembly, we exposed ambient Baltic bacterioplankton to plastic substrates commonly found in marine environments (polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene) as well as native (cellulose) and inert (glass beads) particles for 2 weeks under controlled conditions. The source microbial communities and those of the biofilms were analyzed by Illumina sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene libraries. All biofilm communities displayed lower diversity and evenness compared with the source community, suggesting substrate-driven selection. Moreover, the plastics-associated communities were distinctly different from those on the non-plastic substrates. Whereas plastics hosted greater than twofold higher abundance of Burkholderiales, the non-plastic substrates had a significantly higher proportion of Actinobacteria and Cytophagia. Variation in the community structure, but not the cell abundance, across the treatments was strongly linked to the substrate hydrophobicity. Thus, microplastics host distinct bacterial communities, at least during early successional stages.
More Papers Like This
Formation of specific bacterial assemblages on sterile polyethylene microplastic particles added to a marine aquaria system
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers characterized bacterial assemblages that formed on sterile polyethylene microplastic particles after 12 weeks of incubation in marine aquaria, comparing the plastisphere communities to those on sterile sandy sediment and in water fractions to determine whether microplastics select for distinct or potentially pathogenic bacterial communities. The study found that microplastics hosted specific bacterial assemblages distinct from surrounding environmental fractions, confirming their role as selective surfaces for microbial colonization.
Comparative Analysis of Selective Bacterial Colonization by Polyethylene and Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Biofilm communities were compared on polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate microplastics incubated in two freshwater bacterial communities, finding that the original water source bacteria largely determined biofilm composition rather than the plastic type. The study suggests that the plastisphere in freshwater systems reflects local microbial pools more than plastic-specific selection.
The structure and assembly mechanisms of plastisphere microbial community in natural marine environment
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated how microbial communities colonize different types of microplastic surfaces in natural marine environments over an eight-week period. They found that the composition of these plastic-associated microbial communities, known as the plastisphere, was shaped more by environmental conditions and time than by the specific type of plastic. The study provides new understanding of the ecological processes governing how microorganisms assemble on ocean plastic debris.
Bacterial biofilms on microplastics in the Baltic Sea
AI summary Read the abstract
This study characterized bacterial biofilms forming on microplastics in Baltic Sea waters, identifying the microbial communities that colonize plastic surfaces and examining how the plastisphere differs from surrounding seawater microbiomes. The plastisphere can harbor distinct microbial communities, including potential pathogens, and may facilitate transport of harmful microbes through the ocean.
Structural Diversity in Early-Stage Biofilm Formation on Microplastics Depends on Environmental Medium and Polymer Properties
AI summary Read the abstract
This study examined the early stages of bacterial biofilm formation on different types of plastic surfaces in different environmental media, finding that both the growth medium and the polymer type influenced which microbial communities colonized the plastic. These plastic-associated biofilms (the plastisphere) can make microplastics more appealing to filter-feeding organisms that mistake them for food.
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.