PlumX Metrics
Embed PlumX Metrics

A Mechanistic Understanding of Polyethylene Biodegradation by the Marine Bacterium Alcanivorax

SSRN, ISSN: 1556-5068
2022
  • 3
    Citations
  • 383
    Usage
  • 10
    Captures
  • 0
    Mentions
  • 0
    Social Media
Metric Options:   Counts1 Year3 Year

Metrics Details

  • Citations
    3
    • Citation Indexes
      3
  • Usage
    383
    • Abstract Views
      310
    • Downloads
      73
  • Captures
    10
  • Ratings
    • Download Rank
      657,573

Article Description

Polyethylene (PE) is one of the most recalcitrant carbon-based synthetic materials produced and, currently, the most ubiquitous plastic pollutant found in nature. Over time, combined abiotic and biotic processes are thought to eventually breakdown PE. Despite limited evidence of biological PE degradation and speculation that hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria found within the plastisphere (i.e. biofilms growing on plastics) are an indication of biodegradation, there is no clear mechanistic understanding of the process. Here, using high-throughput proteomics, we investigated the molecular processes that take place in the hydrocarbon-degrading marine bacterium Alcanivorax when grown in the presence of PE. Interestingly, as well as efficiently utilising and assimilating weathered PE, the bacterium acquired the isotopic signature and induced an extensive array of metabolic pathways for aliphatic compound degradation even when incubated with pristine PE. Presumably, the primary biodegradation of PE by Alcanivorax is possible via the production of extracellular reactive oxygen species. Our findings confirm that hydrocarbon-biodegrading bacteria within the plastisphere may in fact have a role in degrading PE.

Bibliographic Details

Vinko Zadjelovic; Gabriel Erni-Cassola; Elizabeth M.H. Wellington; Joseph A. Christie-Oleza; Daniel Lester; Yvette Eley; Matthew I. Gibson; Cristina Dorador; Peter N. Golyshin; Stuart Black

Elsevier BV

Multidisciplinary; Alcanivorax; biodegradation of polyethylene; plastic marine pollution; high-throughput proteomics; Reactive oxygen species

Provide Feedback

Have ideas for a new metric? Would you like to see something else here?Let us know