Comparative Genomics of Marine Bacteria from a Historically Defined Plastic Biodegradation Consortium with the Capacity to Biodegrade Polyhydroxyalkanoates

Biodegradable and compostable plastics are getting more attention as the environmental impacts of fossil-fuel-based revealed. Microbes can consume these biodegrade them within weeks to months under proper conditions. The biobased polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) polymer family is an attractive alternative due its physicochemical properties biodegradability in soil, aquatic, composting environments. Standard test methods available for biodegradation that employ either natural inocula or defined communities, latter being preferred standardization comparability. original marine standard method ASTM D6691 employed such a consortium testing PHA biodegradation. However, taxonomic composition metabolic potential this have never been confirmed using DNA sequencing technologies. To end, we revived members determined their phylogenetic placement, genomic sequence content, potential. belonged Bacillaceae, Rhodobacteraceae, Vibrionaceae families. Using comparative genomics approach, found all necessary enzymes both production utilization most members. In clearing-zone assay, three isolates also showed extracellular depolymerase activity. did not find classical depolymerases, but identified two potentially new depolymerases resemble triacylglycerol lipases.