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Metagenome Sequencing and Recovery of 52 Microbial Genomes from Plastic-Polluted Coastal Sediment
Summary
Metagenomic analysis of sediment from a plastic-polluted coastal hotspot in India recovered 52 microbial genomes spanning 18 phyla, with 90% classifiable only at intermediate taxonomic levels, suggesting the presence of novel microbial lineages adapted to plastic-contaminated environments. These genomic insights lay the groundwork for exploring whether plastic-associated microbes can degrade plastics or whether they contribute to the spread of plastic-associated pathogens through coastal ecosystems.
Plastic pollution is an escalating environmental concern, particularly in coastal regions where sediments serve as long-term sinks for plastic debris. Despite this, the microbial communities inhabiting plastic-contaminated sediments remain poorly characterized in highly polluted hotspots. In this study, we conducted a genome-resolved metagenomic investigation of sediment sample from plastic pollution hotspot in India. Using Illumina short-read sequencing and three high-performing binning tools we reconstructed 52 non-redundant metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from 2,374 initial bins. All MAGs met the MIMAG criteria with 15% reaching near-complete genomes. Taxonomic classification revealed diverse representation of 18 different phyla. Interestingly, 90% of the MAGs could only be classified at intermediate taxonomic levels in the Genome Taxonomy Database (GTDB), suggesting the presence of novel microbial lineages. Taxonomic novelty was further confirmed using the Type Strain Genome Server (TYGS), which identified 3 novel orders, 16 families, and 28 genera. This study provides the first comprehensive genomic insight into microbial communities from plastic-polluted coastal sediments in India and lays the groundwork for exploring their ecological functions.