Biodiversity and oil degradation capacity of oil-degrading bacteria isolated from deep-sea hydrothermal sediments of the South Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Studies have reported that various hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria are found in global deepsea hydrothermal regions. However, little is known about degradation characteristics of culturable hydrocarbondegrading bacteria from these regions. We speculate that these bacteria can be used as resources for the bioremediation of oil pollution. In this study, six oil-degrading consortia were obtained from the hydrothermal region of the Southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge through room-temperature enrichment experiments. The dominant oil-degrading bacteria belonged to Nitratireductor, Pseudonocardia, Brevundimonas and Acinetobacter. More varieties of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria were obtained from sediments (preserved at 4 degrees C) near hydrothermal vents. Most strains had the ability to degrade high molecular weight petroleum components. In addition, Pseudonocardia was shown to exhibit a high degradation ability for phytane and pristine for the first time. This study may provide new insights into the community structure and biodiversity of culturable oil-degrading bacteria in deep-sea hydrothermal regions.

Automated summary

This study reveals the presence of various hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in global deep-sea hydrothermal regions, with a high diversity of culturable oil-degrading bacteria that could be used for oil pollution bioremediation. The dominant oil-degrading bacteria in the Southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge hydrothermal region belong to Nitratireductor, Pseudonocardia, Brevundimonas, and Acinetobacter.