Bacteria In Sediments Research Articles

Plumage microorganism communities of tidal marsh sparrows

Microorganism communities can shape host phenotype evolution but are often comprised of thousands of taxa with varied impact on hosts. Identification of taxa influencing host evolution relies on first describing microorganism communities and acquisition routes. Keratinolytic (keratin-degrading) microorganisms are hypothesized to be abundant in saltmarsh sediments and to contribute to plumage evolution in saltmarsh-adapted sparrows. Metabarcoding was used to describe plumage bacterial (16S rRNA) and fungal (ITS) communities in three sparrow species endemic to North America's Atlantic coast saltmarshes. Results describe limited within-species variability and moderate host species-level patterns in microorganism diversity and community composition. A small percentage of overall microorganism diversity was comprised of potentially keratinolytic microorganisms, warranting further functional studies. Distinctions between plumage and saltmarsh sediment bacteria, but not fungal, communities were detected, suggesting multiple bacterial acquisition routes and/or vertebrate host specialization. This research lays groundwork for future testing of causal links between microorganisms and avian host evolution.

The microbiological activity of lake sediments before and after application of EM (effective microorganisms)

The study objective was to assess microbiological activity of sediments during the application of an EM preparation on the in Lake Skiertąg. Samples were taken before and after microbial bioremediation in the period 2020–2021 from five sediment layers. The abundance, biomass, and efficiency of the respiratory chain of sediment bacteria were determined by the direct methods in a fluorescence microscope. The rate of organic carbon oxidation was measured by the respiratory method. The abundance of benthic bacteria showed significant variability in the profile of each core, and decreased with an increase in sediment depth. The significant decrease in the number and biomass of bacteria in the sediment after the application of the EM technology, was observed during the second year of application of the preparation, and not immediately after its application. In the tested sediments, an significant increase in the percentage of cell with active dehydrogenases ETS+ in the total number of bacteria after application of the preparation was found, but at the same time significantly higher values of this parameter were demonstrated in 2021 compared to the first year of using microbial bioremediation. A significant positive correlation between the potential rate of organic carbon oxidation in the surface layer of sediments and the temperature in the water above the sediment indicates that the temperature conditions stimulated the respiration activity of the sediment microflora.

Occurrence of polyhalogenated carbazoles and the combined effects with heavy metals on variation in bacterial communities in estuarine sediments

Carbazole (CZ) and eight polyhalogenated carbazoles (PHCZs) were quantified by GC–MS in sediments of 12 estuaries, the interface linking large industrial and living areas to the Bohai Sea, China. These pollutants, heavy metals, and environmental factors caused integrated exposure to sediment bacteria. Four PHCZ congeners were detectable, with ΣPHCZs ranging from 0.56 to 15.94 ng/g dw. The dominant congeners were 3,6-dichlorocarbazole (36-CCZ) and 3-chlorocarbazole (3-CCZ), with a mean contribution of 72.6 % and 20.2 %. Significant positive correlations were found between 36-CCZ and both total organic carbon and heavy metals. Redundancy analysis of microbial variation implicated no impacts from PHCZs. Correlation analysis demonstrated an increase in abundance of Rhodocyclaceae but a decrease in Bacteroides-acidifaciens-JCM-10556 with presence of PHCZs, suggesting that these bacteria can be used as potential contamination indicators. The combined exposure of heavy metals, nutrients, and PHCZs may also increase toxicity and biological availability, adversely affecting the ecosystem and human health.

Long-term seawall barriers lead to the formation of an urban coastal lagoon with increased antibiotic resistome

Urbanization has increased the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) impacting urban aquatic ecosystems and threatening human health. However, an overview of the antibiotic resistome in artificial coastal lagoons formed by coastal seawall construction is unclear. This study investigated the resistome of sediment in a coastal lagoon, established for over 60 years and found that the composition of the resistome in the lagoon sediments associated with the seawall significantly differed from that of marine sediment external to the seawall. Moreover, the diversity, number, relative abundance, and absolute abundance of the antibiotic resistome in the lagoon sediments were significantly higher compared to marine sediment. Network analyses revealed that more co-occurrences were found in lagoon sediment between bacterial communities, ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) than in marine sediments, suggesting that bacteria in lagoon sediments may be associated with multiple antibiotic resistances. Random forest and structural equation models showed that an increase in the absolute abundance of MGEs had a concomitant effect on the absolute abundance and diversity of ARGs, whereas increasing salinity decreased the absolute abundance of ARGs. This study provides a basis to assess the risk of resistome diffusion and persistence in an artificial coastal lagoon.

The Impact of Warming on Assembly Processes and Diversity Patterns of Bacterial Communities in Mesocosms.

Bacteria in lake water bodies and sediments play crucial roles in various biogeochemical processes. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of bacterioplankton and sedimentary bacteria community composition and assembly processes across multiple seasons in 18 outdoor mesocosms exposed to three temperature scenarios. Our findings reveal that warming and seasonal changes play a vital role in shaping microbial diversity, species interactions, and community assembly disparities in water and sediment ecosystems. We observed that the bacterioplankton networks were more fragile, potentially making them susceptible to disturbances, whereas sedimentary bacteria exhibited increased stability. Constant warming and heatwaves had contrasting effects: heatwaves increased stability in both planktonic and sedimentary bacteria communities, but planktonic bacterial networks became more fragile under constant warming. Regarding bacterial assembly, stochastic processes primarily influenced the composition of planktonic and sedimentary bacteria. Constant warming intensified the stochasticity of bacterioplankton year-round, while heatwaves caused a slight shift from stochastic to deterministic in spring and autumn. In contrast, sedimentary bacteria assembly is mainly dominated by drift and remained unaffected by warming. Our study enhances our understanding of how bacterioplankton and sedimentary bacteria communities respond to global warming across multiple seasons, shedding light on the complex dynamics of microbial ecosystems in lakes.

Genome-resolved metagenomics of Venice Lagoon surface sediment bacteria reveals high biosynthetic potential and metabolic plasticity as successful strategies in an impacted environment

Bacteria living in sediments play essential roles in marine ecosystems and deeper insights into the ecology and biogeochemistry of these largely unexplored organisms can be obtained from ‘omics’ approaches. Here, we characterized metagenome-assembled-genomes (MAGs) from the surface sediment microbes of the Venice Lagoon (northern Adriatic Sea) in distinct sub-basins exposed to various natural and anthropogenic pressures. MAGs were explored for biodiversity, major marine metabolic processes, anthropogenic activity-related functions, adaptations at the microscale, and biosynthetic gene clusters. Starting from 126 MAGs, a non-redundant dataset of 58 was compiled, the majority of which (35) belonged to (Alpha- and Gamma-) Proteobacteria. Within the broad microbial metabolic repertoire (including C, N, and S metabolisms) the potential to live without oxygen emerged as one of the most important features. Mixotrophy was also found as a successful lifestyle. Cluster analysis showed that different MAGs encoded the same metabolic patterns (e.g., C fixation, sulfate oxidation) thus suggesting metabolic redundancy. Antibiotic and toxic compounds resistance genes were coupled, a condition that could promote the spreading of these genetic traits. MAGs showed a high biosynthetic potential related to antimicrobial and biotechnological classes and to organism defense and interactions as well as adaptive strategies for micronutrient uptake and cellular detoxification. Our results highlighted that bacteria living in an impacted environment, such as the surface sediments of the Venice Lagoon, may benefit from metabolic plasticity as well as from the synthesis of a wide array of secondary metabolites, promoting ecosystem resilience and stability toward environmental pressures.

Chemical and Microbiological Composition of Tom River Bottom Sediments (Yurginskii District, Western Siberia)

Data of chemical and microbiological analyses of bottom sediment composition of the Tom R. near Yurga Town, Kemerov oblast, are given. All samples of bottom sediments were found to contain organic compounds of mixed, biogenic, and anthropogenic origin with the predominance of the latter. Clayey and silty bottom sediments show a higher content of ash-free substance, heavy metals, practically all classes of identified hydrocarbons, except for oxygen-containing and acyclic compounds. Bottom sediments with sand composition contain minimal concentrations of organic pollutants, and the proportions of hydrocarbons of different origin in them are comparable. Microbiological analysis showed the predominance of hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacteria in bottom sediments composed of clays and silty sand.

Characterization and identification of extracellular polysaccharides-degrading enzymes (epes)-producing marine sediment bacteria

The utilization of polysaccharide-degrading enzymes (EPEs) from bacteria has been increasing, therefore many studies are exploring new producers of EPEs. This study aimed to screen and identify the EPEs-producing marine sediment bacteria collected from Panjang Island, Jepara. A total of 11 bacteria were isolated from the sediment sample. Further, seven strains were selected to conduct further analysis, such as biochemical test and screening of enzyme activity. According to the calculation of enzyme activity index (EAI), it was noted that strain with given codes PP.K.15, PP.K.21, PP.K.6, and PP.K.20 demonstrated potential for carrageenase, alginate-lyase, amylase, and agarase. In addition, molecular identification using 16S rRNA gene sequencing discovered that PP.K.6 was identified as Basillus safensis, PP.K.11 as Sinomicrobium oceani, PP.K. 20 as Salinicola zeshunii, PP.K 15 and PP.K. 21 as Micrococcus luteus, and PP.K 22 as Qipengyuania flava.

Sediment Bacteria in the Alpine Lake Sayram: Vertical Patterns in Community Composition.

Bacterial communities inhabiting alpine lakes are essential to our understanding of ecosystem processes in a changing climate, but little has been reported about the vertical patterns of sediment bacterial communities in alpine lakes. To address this knowledge gap, we collected the 100 cm long sediment core from the center of Lake Sayram, the largest alpine lake in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous area, China, and used 16S rRNA gene-targeted amplicon sequencing to examine the bacterial populations. The results showed that bacterial diversity, as estimated by the Shannon index, was highest at the surface (6.9849 at 0-4 cm) and gradually decreased with depth up to 3.9983 at 68-72 cm, and then increased to 5.0927 at 96-100 cm. A total of 56 different phyla and 1204 distinct genera were observed in the sediment core of Lake Sayram. The bacterial community structure in the sediment samples from the various layers was dissimilar. The most abundant phyla in alpine Lake Sayram were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Planctomycetes, accounting for 73%, 6%, and 4% of the total reads, respectively; the most abundant genera were Acinetobacter, Hydrogenophaga, and Pseudomonas, accounting for 18%, 12%, and 8% of the total reads, respectively. Furthermore, the relative abundance of Acinetobacter increased with sediment depth, while the relative abundance of Hydrogenophaga and Pseudomonas decreased with sediment depth. Our findings indicated that the nitrate-reducing bacteria (Acinetobacter, Hydrogenophaga, and Pseudomonas) may be prevalent in the sediment core of Lake Sayram. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that carbonate and total organic carbon (TOC) may be the main environmental factors affecting the vertical patterns of bacterial community composition (BCC) in the sediment of Lake Sayram. This work significantly contributes to our understanding of the BCC of sediments from alpine lakes in arid and semiarid regions.

External magnetic field have significant effects on diversity of magnetotactic bacteria in sediments from Yangtze River, Chagan Lake and Zhalong Wetland in China

Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) can rapidly relocate to optimal habitats by magnetotaxis, and play an important role in iron biogeochemical cycling. This study aimed to evaluate the contribution of the external magnetostatic field to the diversity of MTB in freshwater sediments from Yangtze River (Changjiang River, CJ), Chagan Lake (CGH) and Zhalong Wetland (ZL). The magnetic field intensity was tightly associated with the community richness of MTB in CJ, whereas it was closely related to the diversity of MTB in CGH and ZL (p < 0.05), elucidating a significant variation in the community composition of MTB. Magnetic exposure time appeared more significant correlation with community richness than diversity for MTB in CJ and CGH (p < 0.05), while an opposite relationship existed in ZL (p < 0.01). Herbaspirillum (93.81–96.48 %) dominated in the sediments of these surfacewatesr regardless of waterbody types, while it shifted to Magnetospirillum in ZL under 100 Gs magnetic field. The network connectivity and stability of MTB deteriorate with the increase of magnetic field intensity. Functional analysis showed that the Two-component system and ABC transporter system of MTB obviously responded to magnetic field intensity and exposure time. Our findings will pave the way to understanding the response mechanism of MTB community in freshwater sediments to the external magnetostatic field.

Spatial distribution of bacterial communities driven by multiple environmental factors in sediment of brackish channel catfish ponds in Eastern China

Sediment bacteria are crucial for maintaining water quality, preventing disease, and cycling nutrients in aquaculture ponds. In the present study, a total of 42 sediment samples were collected over the course of four months from three farms. By using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing techniques, bacterial communities were studied. Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Desulfobacterota, Firmicutes, Actinobacteriota, Bacteroidetes and Acidobacteriota were the dominant species at the phylum level in all samples. Spatial variation had a greater impact on the bacterial community composition and distribution of brackish pond sediments. Chloroflexi, Desulfobacterota, Spirochaetota and Latescibacterota were all substantially correlated positively with salinity. Moreover, salinity was negatively correlated with beta diversity. Salinity and total organic carbon were positively correlated with bacterial community distribution. This study was helpful to understand the response of bacterial communities to habitat changes, and provided a theoretical reference for the environmental supervision of aquaculture in sediment of brackish channel catfish ponds in Eastern China.

Study of diversity of mineral-forming bacteria in sabkha mats and sediments of mangrove forest in Qatar

The involvement of microorganisms in carbonate minerals and modern dolomite formation in evaporitic environments occupied with microbial mats (i.e., sabkha) and in mangrove forests is evidenced, while its potential diversity requires further elucidation. Microorganisms can create supersaturated microenvironments facilitating the formation of various carbonate minerals through specific metabolic pathways. This is particularly important in arid environments, where deposition and sedimentary structures can occur. This study investigated the biodiversity of halophilic, heterotrophic, and aerobic mineral-forming bacteria in mangrove forests and living and decaying mats of Qatari sabkha. The diversity study was performed at the protein level using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry protein profiles combined with principal component analysis (PCA), which revealed a high diversity of isolated strains at the taxonomy and protein profile levels. The diversity of the minerals formed in pure cultures was evidenced by SEM/EDS and XRD analysis. Different types of carbonate minerals (calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonates, and high-magnesium calcites) were formed in pure cultures of the studied strains, which might explain their occurrence in the bulk composition of the sediments from where the strains were isolated. These results illuminate the diversity of biological mineral-formation processes in the extreme environments of Qatari sabkhas and mangroves, explaining the high diversity of minerals in these environments.

Molecular basis for inhibition of methane clathrate growth by a deep subsurface bacterial protein.

Methane clathrates on continental margins contain the largest stores of hydrocarbons on Earth, yet the role of biomolecules in clathrate formation and stability remains almost completely unknown. Here, we report new methane clathrate-binding proteins (CbpAs) of bacterial origin discovered in metagenomes from gas clathrate-bearing ocean sediments. CbpAs show similar suppression of methane clathrate growth as the commercial gas clathrate inhibitor polyvinylpyrrolidone and inhibit clathrate growth at lower concentrations than antifreeze proteins (AFPs) previously tested. Unlike AFPs, CbpAs are selective for clathrate over ice. CbpA3 adopts a nonglobular, extended structure with an exposed hydrophobic surface, and, unexpectedly, its TxxxAxxxAxx motif common to AFPs is buried and not involved in clathrate binding. Instead, simulations and mutagenesis suggest a bipartite interaction of CbpAs with methane clathrate, with the pyrrolidine ring of a highly conserved proline residue mediating binding by filling empty clathrate cages. The discovery that CbpAs exert such potent control on methane clathrate properties implies that biomolecules from native sediment bacteria may be important for clathrate stability and habitability.

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) as potential resuscitation factors that promote the isolation and culture of uncultured bacteria in marine sediments.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-023-00187-w.

Distribution patterns of benthic bacteria and nematode communities in estuarine sediments

Benthic organisms are crucial in the regulation of the ecosystem functions. The interactions between benthic nematodes and sediment bacteria across divergent environmental conditions are poorly understood. The main goal of this study was to understand the spatial distribution patterns and diversity of benthic bacterial communities and nematode assemblages of the intertidal sediments in three sampling sites (Navigator, Tróia and Moinho) along Sado Estuary (SW, Portugal). Bacterial communities were described using a 16S metagenomic approach, while nematode assemblages were characterized using morphological identification. Overall, bacterial and nematode communities presented significant diversity between sites (p < 0.05), which is primarily related with the environmental variables (e.g., organic matter and percentage of gravel). The spatial distribution of bacterial communities was in accordance with the ecological conditions of three selected sites at a larger scale than nematode assemblages. Previously described as good ecological indicators, nematode assemblages were separated at sampling site level, suggesting that their response is driven by within site specific factors at a smaller scale. Hence, the present study set a fundamental ground for future research on functional interactions between bacteria and nematodes.

Diversity characterization of bacteria and fungi in water, sediments and biofilms from Songhua River in Northeast China

Water, sediments, and biofilms are the typical microbial carriers in natural water environments. However, comparative analysis of the distribution of bacterial and fungal communities in different carriers within the same habitat is relatively lacking. Therefore, this study employed 16 S and ITS rRNA gene sequencing to identify bacterial and fungal community structures in water, sediments, and biofilm. The results show that (1) the OTUs numbers revealed that the bacterial abundance, at the levels of species, genus, and family, followed the order of sediments > water > biofilms, while the fungal abundance order was water > sediments > biofilms. In addition, bacteria were mainly present in sediments, while fungi were mainly present in water. (2) The α diversity index (Shannon, ACE, Simpson, and Chao1) order, for bacteria was: sediments > water > biofilms, indicating that the diversity and homogeneity of bacteria in sediments were relatively higher; for fungi was: water > sediments > biofilms, indicating that the diversity and abundance of fungi in water were high. (3) The core phylum of bacterial in the water, sediments, and biofilms was Cyanobacteria (31.3–46.1%) and Actinobacteria (27.6–36.1%); Proteobacteria (35.0–41.8%), Cyanobacteria (14.7–36.6%); and Proteobacteria (63.3–69.2%), respectively. (4) The mainly colonized fungal phyla in biofilms in the water, sediments, and biofilms were Basidiomycota (29.3–38.7%) and Ascomycota (16.2–27.7%); Zygomycota (13.1–17.5%), Basidiomycota (5.6–17.6%); and Zygomycota (23.8–44.2%). (5) There were significant species differences in bacterial and fungal communities in water, sediments, and biofilm by NMDS analysis. Findings are useful for guiding significance for the Biogeochemical cycle of elements, the environmental fate of pollutants, and the study of water ecosystems.

Widespread occurrence of filamentous Thioploca bacteria in low-sulfate Great Lakes sediments with implications for sulfur and nitrogen cycling

Thioploca spp. are large sulfur oxidizing bacteria that form centimeter-scale filaments in aquatic sediments. Marine Thioploca can form dense mats that strongly affect biogeochemical cycling in sediments. While freshwater and brackish Thioploca can also achieve high abundances, their ecology is poorly understood and their metabolisms in low-sulfate environments are enigmatic. We quantified freshwater Thioploca biomass and its links to environmental characteristics at 33 sites in the Great Lakes in the Apostle Islands region (Lake Superior) and Green Bay (Lake Michigan). Vertical distributions of Thioploca and the associated sediment chemistries were analyzed in sediment cores from eight sites. Despite low sulfur availability, Thioploca attained biomasses comparable to those in marine sediments, up to 250 g m−2 wet weight. Abundances were highest in the top 5 cm of sediment and were greater in fine-grained than coarse-grained sediments. Thioploca was common at both eutrophic and oligotrophic locations, suggesting that sediment carbon availability was not a limiting factor. Porewater profiles indicated possible ammonia oxidation in the anoxic sediment layers occupied by Thioploca, which would argue against the dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) route of nitrate reduction common in marine Thioploca. With known metabolic capabilities for coupling oxidation of sulfide or thiosulfate to denitrification, freshwater Thioploca may play a quantitatively important role in the benthic cycling of nitrogen and sulfur, though in ways that differ from those of marine Thioploca species. Our results indicate that Thioploca may be widespread in depositional zones of the Great Lakes, with yet underappreciated effects on local elemental cycling.

Seagrass Thalassia hemprichii and associated bacteria co-response to the synergistic stress of ocean warming and ocean acidification

Seagrass meadows play vital ecological roles in the marine ecosystem. Global climate change poses considerable threats to seagrass survival. However, it is unclear how seagrass and its associated bacteria will respond under future complex climate change scenarios. This study explored the effects of ocean warming (+2 °C) and ocean acidification (−0.4 units) on seagrass physiological indexes and bacterial communities (sediment and rhizosphere bacteria) of the seagrass Thalassia hemprichii during an experimental exposure of 30 days. Results demonstrated that the synergistic effect of ocean warming and ocean acidification differed from that of one single factor on seagrass and the associated bacterial community. The seagrass showed a weak resistance to ocean warming and ocean acidification, which manifested through the increase in the activity of typical oxidoreductase enzymes. Moreover, the synergistic effect of ocean warming and ocean acidification caused a significant decrease in seagrass's chlorophyll content. Although the bacterial community diversity exhibited higher resistance to ocean warming and ocean acidification, further bacterial functional analysis revealed the synergistic effect of ocean warming and ocean acidification led to significant increases in SOX-related genes abundance which potentially supported the seagrass in resisting climate stress by producing sulfates and oxidizing hydrogen sulfide. More stable bacterial communities were detected in the seagrass rhizosphere under combined ocean warming and ocean acidification. While for one single environmental stress, simpler networks were detected in the rhizosphere. In addition, the observed significant correlations between several modules of the bacterial community and the physiological indexes of the seagrass indicate the possible intimate interaction between seagrass and bacteria under ocean warming and ocean acidification. This study extends our understanding regarding the role of seagrass associated bacterial communities and sheds light on both the prediction and preservation of the seagrass meadow ecosystems in response to global climate change.

Major contribution of sulfide-derived sulfur to the benthic food web in a large freshwater lake.

In freshwater systems, contributions of chemosynthetic products by sulfur-oxidizing bacteria in sediments as nutritional resources in benthic food webs remain unclear, even though chemosynthetic products might be an important nutritional resource for benthic food webs in deep-sea hydrothermal vents and shallow marine systems. To study geochemical aspects of this trophic pathway, we sampled sediment cores and benthic animals at two sites (90 and 50 m water depths) in the largest freshwater (mesotrophic) lake in Japan: Lake Biwa. Stable carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur isotopes of the sediments and animals were measured to elucidate the sulfur nutritional resources for the benthic food web precisely by calculating the contributions of the incorporation of sulfide-derived sulfur to the biomass and of the biogeochemical sulfur cycle supporting the sulfur nutritional resource. The recovered sediment cores showed increases in 34 S-depleted sulfide at 5 cm sediment depth and showed low sulfide concentration with high δ34 S in deeper layers, suggesting an association of microbial activities with sulfate reduction and sulfide oxidation in the sediments. The sulfur-oxidizing bacteria may contribute to benthic animal biomass. Calculations based on the biomass, sulfur content, and contribution to sulfide-derived sulfur of each animal comprising the benthic food web revealed that 58%-67% of the total biomass sulfur in the benthic food web of Lake Biwa is occupied by sulfide-derived sulfur. Such a large contribution implies that the chemosynthetic products of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria are important nutritional resources supporting benthic food webs in the lake ecosystems, at least in terms of sulfur. The results present a new trophic pathway for sulfur that has been overlooked in lake ecosystems with low-sulfate concentrations.

Biodegradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) by diverse marine bacteria in deep-sea sediments.

PET plastic waste entering the oceans is supposed to take hundreds of years to degrade and tends to accumulate in the deep sea. However, we know little about the bacteria capable of plastic degradation therein. To determine whether PET-degrading bacteria are present in deep-sea sediment, we collected the samples from the eastern central Pacific Ocean and initiated microbial incubation with PET as the carbon source. After enrichment with PET for 2 years, we gained all 15 deep-sea sediment communities at five oceanic sampling sites. Bacterial isolation for pure culture and further growth tests confirmed that diverse bacteria possess degradation ability including Alcanivorax xenomutans BC02_1_A5, Marinobacter sediminum BC31_3_A1, Marinobacter gudaonensis BC06_2_A6, Thalassospira xiamenensis BC02_2_A1 and Nocardioides marinus BC14_2_R3. Furthermore, four strains were chosen as representatives to reconfirm the PET degradation capability by SEM, weight loss and UPLC-MS. The results showed that after 30-day incubation, 1.3%-1.8% of PET was lost. De-polymerization of PET by the four strains was confirmed by the occurrence of the PET monomer of MHET and TPA as the key degradation products. Bacterial consortia possessing PET-degrading potential are prevalent and diverse and might play a key role in the removal of PET pollutants in deep oceans.