Metagenomic analysis of a hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial consortium reveals the capacity of BTEX biodegradationMetagenomic analysis of a hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial consortium reveals the capacity of BTEX biodegradation

Through successive enrichment, we obtained a bacterial consortium using crude oil as sole carbon source. The 16S rRNA gene analysis illustrated the structural characteristics of this community. Metagenomic analysis revealed the specific microbial organisms involved in the degradation of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and (o-, m-, p-,) xylene, and the versatile metabolic pathways involved in these reactions.