Shotgun Metagenomics Reveals the Benthic Microbial Community Response to Plastic and Bioplastic in a Coastal Marine Environment.

ABSTRACT: Plastic is incredibly abundant in marine environments but little is known about its effects on benthic microbiota and biogeochemical cycling. This study reports the shotgun metagenomic sequencing of biofilms fouling plastic and bioplastic microcosms staged at the sediment-water interface of a coastal lagoon. Community composition analysis revealed that plastic biofilms were indistinguishable in comparison to a ceramic biofilm control. By contrast, bioplastic biofilms were distinct and dominated by sulfate-reducing microorganisms (SRM). Analysis of bioplastic gene pools revealed the enrichment of esterases, depolymerases, adenylyl sulfate reductases (aprBA), and dissimilatory sulfite reductases (dsrAB). The nearly 20-fold enrichment of a phylogenetically diverse polyhydroxybut

SUBMITTER: Pinnell LJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6566015 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature