Metatranscriptomics of microbial biofilm succession on HDPE foil: uncovering plastic-degrading potential in soil communities.

Background: Although plastic pollution is increasing worldwide, very little is known about the microbial processes that take place once plastic debris is incorporated into the soil matrix. In this study, we conducted the first metatranscriptome analysis of polyethylene (PE)-associated biofilm communities in highly polluted landfill soil and compared their gene expression to that of a forest soil community within a 53-day period.

Results: Our findings indicate that the microbial population present in soil contaminated with plastic debris is predisposed to both inhabit and degrade plastic surfaces.

Draft Genome Sequence of Paenalcaligenes niemegkensis NGK35, Isolated from Plastic-Polluted Soil of an Abandoned Landfill.

The Gram-negative bacterium Paenalcaligenes niemegkensis NGK35 was isolated from plastic debris in an abandoned landfill. It has the ability to grow on polyethylene and hexadecane as the sole carbon sources. Here, we report the corresponding draft genome, which contains 3.

Draft Genome Sequence of Nocardioides alcanivorans NGK65, a Hexadecane-Degrading Bacterium.

The Gram-positive bacterium Nocardioides alcanivorans NGK65 was isolated from plastic-polluted soil and cultivated on medium with polyethylene as the single carbon source. Nanopore sequencing revealed the presence of candidate enzymes for the biodegradation of polyethylene. Here, we report the draft genome of this newly described member of the terrestrial plastisphere.

sp. nov., a novel hexadecane-degrading species isolated from plastic waste.

Strain NGK65, a novel hexadecane degrading, non-motile, Gram-positive, rod-to-coccus shaped, aerobic bacterium, was isolated from plastic polluted soil sampled at a landfill. Strain NGK65 hydrolysed casein, gelatin, urea and was catalase-positive. It optimally grew at 28 °C, in 0-1% NaCl and at pH 7.

sp. nov., a novel species of the family isolated from plastic waste.

Strain NGK35 is a motile, Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped (1.0-2.1 µm long and 0.

Microplastic inclusion in birch tree roots.

In this pilot study, microplastic beads (5-50 μm) were tagged with fluorescent dye and introduced to the soil of potted Betula pendula Roth. (silver birch) saplings during the growing season. After five months, root samples were examined using fluorescence- and confocal laser scanning microscopy.

The Terrestrial Plastisphere: Diversity and Polymer-Colonizing Potential of Plastic-Associated Microbial Communities in Soil.

The concept of a 'plastisphere microbial community' arose from research on aquatic plastic debris, while the effect of plastics on microbial communities in soils remains poorly understood. Therefore, we examined the inhabiting microbial communities of two plastic debris ecosystems with regard to their diversity and composition relative to plastic-free soils from the same area using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Furthermore, we studied the plastic-colonizing potential of bacteria originating from both study sites as a measure of surface adhesion to UV-weathered polyethylene (PE) using high-magnification field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM).