High-salinity nitrate removal by a synthetic microbial community derived from marine plastic biofilms

This study investigates the nitrogen removal potential of a synthetic microbial community (SynCom) derived from marine plastic biofilms (the "plastisphere"). Three bacterial strains (Pseudomonas stutzeri P5F4-3, Shimia sp. pe10, and Ruegeria sp. PMMA7) were isolated from this environment and assembled into a defined SynCom. The community was cultured in Marine Broth 2216E with carbon sources supplied at 10% of the standard concentration, under nitrate stress (20 mg/L NO3-N). 16S rRNA gene (V3-V4 region) amplicon sequencing was performed on triplicate samples after 24 and 48 hours of incubation at two salinity levels (3.5% and 7%). This work aims to elucidate the compositional stability and adaptive strategies of this SynCom under high-salinity stress, providing a microbial resource for the bioremediation of high-salinity wastewater.