Microbial hydrocarbon degradation potential of the Baltic Sea ecosystem.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The Baltic Sea receives petroleum hydrocarbons from various point sources. The degradation of these contaminants in the environment is typically facilitated by a variety of microorganisms that possess a range of genes and metabolic functions related to the degradation of various hydrocarbon substrates. However, our understanding of natural attenuation and the microbial capacity to degrade these contaminants within the Baltic Sea ecosystem remains limited. In this study, we compiled metagenomes from the benthic and pelagic ecosystems across the Baltic Sea to identify microorganisms and characterize their genes and metabolic functions involved in the degradation of hydrocarbon compounds.

Results

Known hydrocarbon-degrading phyla, i.e., Pseudomonadota, Myxococcota A,

SUBMITTER: Serrana JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12529799 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature