Plastic Microbial BioRemediation Database
Plastic pollution is a major environmental issue with millions of tonnes produced annually, much of which accumulates in ecosystems causing long-term damage. Current disposal methods, like incineration and landfilling, are ineffective and often worsen the problem. Bioremediation, i.e., the use of microorganisms or plants to remove pollutants, offers a promising alternative. However, knowledge of bacterial biodiversity involved in plastic biodegradation is limited. To address this gap, this study introduces a novel multi-omics exploratory approach based on the Plastic-Microbial BioRemediation (Plastic-MBR) database, a resource integrating genetic data of bacteria with plastic-degrading capabilities.
Exploiting the novel Plastic-MBR database, we propose and validate a multi-omics framework for the reconstruction of the taxonomic distribution of microbial enzymes involved in plastic bioremediation. In detail, by metagenomic identification of bacterial taxa associated with predominant enzyme functions followed by subsequent in silico genomic investigations were employed to drive the selection of promising species for environmental bioremediation of plastic compounds.
Validation through analysis of plastic-contaminated soil and river samples resulted in the identification of potential genes for plastic bioremediation in several microbial species including species never reported in this application field, thus providing a reliable overview of the ecological distribution of microbial genes for plastic degradation. In this context, the Plastic-MBR database represents a valuable resource for advancing research, offering a useful tool for identifying and functionally characterizing novel bacteria with potential applications in environmental plastic bioremediation.
