The distinct plastisphere microbiome in the terrestrial-marine ecotone is a reservoir for putative degraders of petroleum-based polymers

Research into plastic-degrading bacteria and fungi is important for understanding how microorganisms can be used to address the problem of plastic pollution and for developing new approaches to sustainable waste management and bioplastic production. In the present study, we isolated 55 bacterial and 184 fungal strains degrading polycaprolactone (PCL) in plastic waste samples from Dafeng coastal salt marshes, Jiangsu, China. Of these, Jonesia and Streptomyces bacteria also showed potential to degrade other types of petroleum-based polymers. The metabarcoding results proved the existence of plastisphere as a distinct ecological niche regardless of the plastic types where 27 bacterial and 29 fungal amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were found to be significantly (p < 0.05) enriched, including some belonging to Alternaria (Ascomycota, Fungi) and Pseudo-monas (Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteria) that were also mined out by the method of cultivation. Further assembly analyses demonstrated the importance of deterministic processes especially the environmental filtering effect of carbon content and pH on bacteria as well as the carbon and cation content on fungi in shaping the plastisphere communities in this ecosystem. Thus, the unique microbiome of the plastisphere in the terrestrial-marine ecotone is enriched with microorganisms that are potentially capable of utilizing petroleum-based polymers, making it a valuable resource for screening plastic biodegraders.

Automated summary

Research on plastic-degrading bacteria and fungi is crucial for understanding their potential in addressing plastic pollution and developing sustainable waste management and bioplastics production. In this study, a total of 55 bacterial and 184 fungal strains capable of degrading polycaprolactone (PCL) were isolated from plastic waste samples in Dafeng coastal salt marshes, China. Metabarcoding analysis revealed the presence of a distinct plastisphere ecological niche, enriched with 27 bacterial and 29 fungal amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), including species belonging to Alternaria (Ascomycota, Fungi) and Pseudo-monas (Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteria). Further analysis showed that environmental factors such as carbon content, pH, and cation content play a significant role in shaping the plastisphere communities. The unique microbiome of the plastisphere in the terrestrial-marine ecotone provides a valuable resource for screening plastic biodegraders.