Metatranscriptome Profile of Plastitrophic Microbial Communities in A Modified Winogradsky Column

This study investigates the polyethylene (PE) degrading potential of microbial communities in agricultural soils using a combinatorial approach. A modified Winogradsky column with PE strips was incubated for 16 months, and bacterial diversity was characterized using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The microaerophilic-to-aerobic layer community was further enriched in minimal medium with low-density polyethylene (LDPE) powder or glucose, followed by metatranscriptomic analysis. Pseudomonadota and Bacillota dominated gene expression, with Pseudomonadota exhibiting higher expression in the presence of LDPE. Genes related to carbon metabolism, energy metabolism, lipid degradation, and aromatic degradation were highly enriched in LDPE compared to glucose, suggesting their potential involvement in plastic degradation. By identifying LDPE-enriched taxa and genes, this study highlights the PE-degrading potential in agricultural microbiomes and the importance of harnessing microbial capabilities for plastic pollution remediation. Contact: Dr. Frederick M. Cohan. This submission was powered by METAGENOTE (https://metagenote.niaid.nih.gov).