The car tank lid bacteriome: a reservoir of bacteria with potential in bioremediation of fuel

Bioprospecting of microorganisms suitable for bioremediation of fuel or oil spills is often carried out in contaminated environments such as gas stations or polluted coastal areas. Using next-generation sequencing (NGS) we analyzed the microbiota thriving below the lids of the fuel deposits of diesel and gasoline cars. The microbiome colonizing the tank lids differed from the diversity found in other hydrocarbon-polluted environments, with Proteobacteria being the dominant phylum and without clear differences between gasoline or diesel-fueled vehicles. We observed differential growth when samples were inoculated in cultures with gasoline or diesel as the main carbon source, as well as an increase in the relative abundance of the genus Pseudomonas in diesel. A collection of culturable strains was established, mostly Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, Staphylococcus, and Bacillus genera. Strains belonging to Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Achromobacter, and Isoptericola genera showed a clear diesel degradation pattern when analyzed by GC-MS, suggesting their potential use for bioremediation and a possible new species of Isoptericola was further characterized as hydrocarbon degrader.

Automated summary

Bioprospecting of microorganisms for bioremediation of fuel or oil spills is often done in contaminated environments such as gas stations or polluted coastal areas. Using next-generation sequencing, microbial communities below the lids of fuel deposits in diesel and gasoline cars were analyzed, revealing potential candidates for bioremediation based on their differential growth and degradation patterns. GC-MS analysis of selected strains showed Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Achromobacter, and Isoptericola genera as promising candidates for diesel degradation, with the latter potentially representing a new species with hydrocarbon degrading capabilities.