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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Community Diversity and Makeup Affect the Capacity for Bioconversion of Chemically Deconstructed PET Plastic Waste Into Biomass
ClearA multi-OMIC characterisation of biodegradation and microbial community succession within the PET plastisphere
Researchers performed a multi-omic analysis of bacterial communities colonizing PET plastic in marine environments, identifying microorganisms capable of degrading PET and characterizing the enzymatic pathways involved, advancing understanding of natural plastic biodegradation in ocean systems.
Construction and degradation characteristics of high-efficiency polyethylene degrading composite microbial community
Researchers engineered a high-efficiency polyethylene-degrading microbial consortium and characterized its degradation pathways and kinetics, finding substantial mass loss and chemical modification of polyethylene under optimized conditions. The consortium outperformed previously described single-species degraders, advancing the development of biological solutions for hard-to-recycle plastic waste.
Biomass formation and organic carbon migration potential of microplastics from a PET recycling plant: Implication of biostability
PET microplastics from a recycling plant promoted bacterial growth in freshwater, with particles smaller than 100 microns supporting up to 1.05 x 10^9 bacteria per gram and shifting microbial diversity by favoring Burkholderiaceae, highlighting pollution risks from the mechanical PET recycling industry.
Two-step conversion of polyethylene into recombinant proteins using a microbial platform
Researchers engineered bacteria to break down polyethylene plastic — one of the most common types of plastic pollution — and convert it into useful proteins, demonstrating a promising biological pathway for upcycling plastic waste into valuable materials.
Plastic-Degrading Microbial Consortia from a Wastewater Treatment Plant
Researchers isolated bacteria from a wastewater treatment plant that can break down common plastics including polyethylene and polystyrene, some of the hardest plastics to recycle. The microbial communities worked together to degrade the plastics more effectively than individual bacterial strains. While biological plastic degradation is still slow compared to the scale of pollution, identifying these bacteria is a step toward developing biotechnology solutions for plastic waste cleanup.
Microbial Diversity of the Surface of Polypropylene and Low Density Polyethylene‐Based Materials (Plastisphere) From an Area Subjected to Intensive Agriculture
Researchers analyzed the microbial communities colonizing polypropylene and polyethylene plastic debris from an agricultural landfill site. They found that while overall bacterial diversity was similar between plastic surfaces and surrounding soil, the plastic-associated communities had distinct compositions with higher proportions of certain bacterial groups. The study suggests that these plastisphere communities may be actively degrading plastic additives and could harbor potential plastic-degrading organisms.
Microbial Upcycling of Polyethylene into Recombinant Proteins
Researchers engineered Pseudomonas bacteria to grow using deconstructed polyethylene (a proxy for plastic breakdown products) as their sole carbon source and produce valuable recombinant proteins. This demonstrates a route to converting plastic waste into high-value materials using microbes, potentially reducing the plastic that becomes environmental microplastics.
A polyethylene surrogate for microbial community enrichment and characterization
Researchers developed a method to enrich and characterize microbial communities capable of biodegrading a polyethylene surrogate, enabling study of potential polyethylene degradation over much shorter timescales than direct polyethylene experiments would allow, and using the approach to isolate several candidate degrading microbial communities.
Biotechnological model for ubiquitous mixed petroleum- and bio-based plastics degradation and upcycling into bacterial nanocellulose
Researchers demonstrated a biotechnological approach for breaking down mixed petroleum-based and bio-based plastic waste and converting it into valuable bacterial nanocellulose. The system used engineered microbial communities to simultaneously degrade different plastic types that are typically difficult to recycle together. The study presents a promising model for sustainable end-of-life management of mixed plastic waste streams, addressing a key challenge in reducing plastic pollution.
Synergistic functional activity of a landfill microbial consortium in a microplastic-enriched environment
Scientists studied soil bacteria from a decades-old landfill to understand how microbes adapt to high concentrations of polyethylene and PET microplastics. They found that multiple bacterial species work together to break down these plastics, with different roles for bacteria floating freely versus those attached to plastic surfaces. While biodegradation of microplastics is possible, it is slow, and understanding these natural processes could eventually help with cleanup efforts.
Engineering the mangrove soil microbiome for selection of polyethylene terephthalate-transforming bacterial consortia.
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.
Deciphering the Mechanisms Shaping the Plastisphere Microbiota in Soil
Researchers characterized bacterial communities colonizing biodegradable and conventional microplastics in soil, finding that polymer type and biodegradability shaped distinct plastisphere communities, with deterministic processes playing a stronger role in community assembly than in surrounding soil.
Analysis of microbial populations in plastic–soil systems after exposure to high poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) load using high-resolution molecular technique
Researchers examined how high concentrations of the biodegradable plastic PBSA affect soil microbial communities, finding that PBSA exposure significantly altered microbial diversity and community composition, with certain bacteria enriched as potential plastic degraders.
Engineering microbial division of labor for plastic upcycling
Scientists engineered a team of two specialized bacteria that work together to break down PET plastic waste and convert it into useful chemicals. This microbial partnership outperformed single-bacteria approaches, especially when dealing with high concentrations of plastic waste. The research demonstrates a promising biological method for recycling plastic pollution into valuable materials rather than letting it accumulate in the environment.
The Polymer-Plastisphere-Function Nexus Links to Divergent Biodegradation of Microplastics During Composting.
Researchers found a fundamental dichotomy in microplastic biodegradation during thermophilic composting, where biodegradable polymers (PLA, PBS, PBAT) underwent rapid degradation driven by selective microbial community assembly shaped by polymer chemistry, while conventional plastics resisted breakdown despite similar composting conditions.
Coexistence of specialist and generalist species within mixed plastic derivative-utilizing microbial communities
Researchers found that microbial communities breaking down plastic-derived chemicals are dominated by generalist bacteria like Rhodococcus, supported by specialist species targeting specific compounds. This division of labor could be exploited to design more effective microbial consortia for bioremediation of plastic pollution.
Microbial Consortia and Mixed Plastic Waste: Pangenomic Analysis Reveals Potential for Degradation of Multiple Plastic Types via Previously Identified PET Degrading Bacteria
Researchers used pangenomic and transcriptomic analysis of a previously identified five-member bacterial consortium capable of degrading PET to search for broader plastic degradation potential. The analysis revealed over 200 plastic and plasticizer degradation-related genes, including a novel PETase (EstB), suggesting the consortium can potentially degrade multiple plastic types beyond PET.
The structure and assembly mechanisms of plastisphere microbial community in natural marine environment
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.
Microbiological Characterization of the Biofilms Colonizing Bioplastics in Natural Marine Conditions: A Comparison between PHBV and PLA
Researchers characterized biofilm communities colonizing bioplastics and conventional plastics in natural marine conditions, finding that bioplastic surfaces hosted distinct microbial communities compared to petroleum-based plastics, with implications for biodegradation and ecological interactions.
Towards synthetic PETtrophy: Engineering Pseudomonas putida for concurrent polyethylene terephthalate (PET) monomer metabolism and PET hydrolase expression
Researchers engineered a soil bacterium to simultaneously break down PET plastic and use its building-block chemicals as food, identifying key bottlenecks in balancing enzyme production with bacterial fitness that will need to be resolved before such microbes can be used for large-scale plastic biodegradation.
Analysis of 16S rRNA amplicon data illuminates the major role of environment in determining the marine plastisphere microbial communities
Researchers analysed 16S rRNA amplicon data from marine plastisphere communities, finding that environmental factors play the dominant role in determining the microbial communities that colonise microplastic surfaces in marine ecosystems.
Microbial Consortia and Mixed Plastic Waste: Pangenomic Analysis Reveals Potential for Degradation of Multiple Plastic Types via Previously Identified PET Degrading Bacteria
Researchers used pangenomic and transcriptomic analysis of a five-bacterium PET-degrading consortium to identify over 200 plastic and plasticizer degradation-related genes, including a novel PETase enzyme EstB. The diverse carbon utilization capacity and active transcription of PET monomer metabolism genes suggest the consortium has potential for degrading mixed plastic waste.
Microplastics increase soil microbial network complexity and trigger diversity-driven community assembly
Researchers found that microplastics in soil increased bacterial network complexity and shifted microbial community assembly in a diversity-dependent manner, with high-density polyethylene causing more harm to plant growth than polystyrene or polylactic acid particles.
Microbial Transformation of Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastics by Wetland-Derived Microbial Communities: Implications for Coastal Sediment Systems
Researchers exposed PET plastic fibers to a wetland sediment microbial consortium for 60 days, finding 13.7% weight loss driven by synergistic interactions among taxa like Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas, suggesting coastal wetlands harbor natural PET-degrading communities with potential for nature-based plastic remediation strategies.