We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Engineering the mangrove soil microbiome for selection of polyethylene terephthalate-transforming bacterial consortia.
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers engineered enrichment cultures from mangrove soil to select bacterial consortia capable of transforming polyethylene terephthalate (PET), finding via metagenome-assembled genomes that PET catabolism was distributed across multiple taxa harbouring putative novel PET-active hydrolases. They also described a novel species, Mangrovimarina plasticivorans, as a key consortium member containing genes for PET monomer metabolism.
Mangroves are impacted by multiple environmental stressors, including sea level rise, erosion, and plastic pollution. Thus, mangrove soil may be an excellent source of as yet unknown plastic-transforming microorganisms. Here, we assess the impact of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) particles and seawater intrusion on the mangrove soil microbiome and report an enrichment culture experiment to artificially select PET-transforming microbial consortia. The analysis of metagenome-assembled genomes of two bacterial consortia revealed that PET catabolism can be performed by multiple taxa, of which particular species harbored putative novel PET-active hydrolases. A key member of these consortia (Mangrovimarina plasticivorans gen. nov., sp. nov.) was found to contain two genes encoding monohydroxyethyl terephthalate hydrolases. This study provides insights into the development of strategies for harnessing soil microbiomes, thereby advancing our understanding of the ecology and enzymology involved in microbial-mediated PET transformations in marine-associated systems.
More Papers Like This
Lignocellulose-mediated selection of halophilic PET-degrading enzymes from mangrove soil
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers used microcosm experiments with mangrove soil — an ecosystem exposed to both plant biomass and plastic pollution — to screen for halophilic enzymes capable of degrading PET, leveraging the soil's rich microbial diversity as a source of novel polymer-degrading candidates.
A marine bacterial community that degrades poly(ethylene terephthalate) and polyethylene
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers discovered a marine bacterial community capable of colonizing and degrading both PET and polyethylene plastics, identified through screening hundreds of plastic waste samples. This multi-polymer degrading microbial consortium offers a promising avenue for biological plastic waste remediation.
Isolation and Identification of Four Strains of Bacteria with Potential to Biodegrade Polyethylene and Polypropylene from Mangrove
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers screened mangrove sediment and surface water bacteria for the ability to biodegrade polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics, successfully isolating four candidate strains. The identified bacteria showed measurable plastic degradation activity, highlighting mangrove ecosystems as a source of novel plastic-degrading microorganisms.
Potential Microplastic-Degrading Bacteria from Mangrove Sediment in The Paluh Getah Area, Percut Sei Tuan District
AI summary Read the abstract
Ten bacterial strains isolated from mangrove sediments in North Sumatra were screened for microplastic degradation, with three promising isolates showing growth on LDPE, HDPE, PET, PP, and PS substrates, identifying mangrove bacteria as a potential source of plastic-degrading microbes.
Lignocellulose-mediated selection of potential halophilic PET-degrading enzymes from mangrove soil
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers incubated mangrove soil with lignocellulose or PET under varying salinity conditions and used metagenomics to identify 12 putative PETase enzymes, including two from Microbulbifer species with novel structural features, demonstrating that enriching environmental microbiomes with plant-derived polymers selectively amplifies plastic-degrading enzyme diversity in halophilic 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.