Publications by authors named "Ryan P Bos"
We fully sequenced the genomes of 16 Vibrio cultivars isolated from eel larvae, plastic marine debris (PMD), the pelagic brown macroalga Sargassum, and seawater samples collected from the Caribbean and Sargasso Seas of the North Atlantic Ocean. Annotation and mapping of these 16 bacterial genome sequences to a PMD-derived Vibrio metagenome-assembled genome created for this study showcased vertebrate pathogen genes closely-related to cholera and non-cholera pathovars. Phenotype testing of cultivars confirmed rapid biofilm formation, hemolytic, and lipophospholytic activities, consistent with pathogenic potential.
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- - The study investigates how microbial communities form on microplastics in the ocean, focusing on early plastic biofilm development by comparing them to older, naturally occurring plastic litter.
- - Early colonizers of microplastics were primarily Alteromonadaceae, showing genes linked to adhesion and motility, while mature biofilms were mainly Rhodobacteraceae with genes for carbohydrate breakdown and photosynthesis.
- - Key findings reveal that the MSHA operon in Alteromonadaceae enhances their competitive advantage for colonizing plastic surfaces, even though genetic traits of early colonizers remain largely stable despite changing environments.
Article Synopsis
- Many studies have focused on plastic debris in surface ocean areas, but there is a lack of research on microplastics (MPs) below these zones.
- Using advanced sampling techniques, researchers found a significant amount of small microplastics (SMPs) in the South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre, revealing high abundance levels and variations in their distribution compared to larger microplastics.
- The study indicates that SMPs are more evenly distributed in the water column than larger particles, which suggests they play an important but overlooked role in ocean health, emphasizing the need for further research on deep-ocean microplastics and their ecological impacts.