Novel insights into insect mediated polystyrene biodegradation through bacterial genome analyses

Abstract Plastic pollution is a significant environmental challenge of contemporary age. Polystyrene (PS), among the most commonly used plastic polymers worldwide, is highly durable and difficult to degrade. Despite various disposal strategies, PS continues to impact biodiversity, human health, and...

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Main Authors: Felice Zarra, Rebecca Funari, Claudio Cucini, Francesco Nardi, Antonio Carapelli, Laura Marri, Francesco Frati
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-01-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85517-x
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author Felice Zarra
Rebecca Funari
Claudio Cucini
Francesco Nardi
Antonio Carapelli
Laura Marri
Francesco Frati
author_facet Felice Zarra
Rebecca Funari
Claudio Cucini
Francesco Nardi
Antonio Carapelli
Laura Marri
Francesco Frati
author_sort Felice Zarra
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Plastic pollution is a significant environmental challenge of contemporary age. Polystyrene (PS), among the most commonly used plastic polymers worldwide, is highly durable and difficult to degrade. Despite various disposal strategies, PS continues to impact biodiversity, human health, and ecosystems. Recently, the scientific community has focused on the potential role of microorganisms for plastic biodegradation, particularly those from the gut of plastivorous insects. In a previous study, three bacterial strains, each representing a distinct taxonomic group (Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, and Stenotrophomonas), were isolated from Alphitobius diaperinus larvae after rearing on a PS diet and enriched in a medium with PS as the sole carbon source. The Stenotrophomonas sp. strain, here identified as S. indicatrix, showed the greatest potential for PS degradation. The present study investigates the genetic profile of the newly isolated S. indicatrix strain DAI2m/c through genome sequencing, to identify enzyme-encoding genes involved in the intracellular metabolic pathways responsible for the biodegradation of the styrene monomer. Our findings indicate that the genome of S. indicatrix strain DAI2m/c encodes all enzymes required for one of the two recognized styrene degradation pathways, suggesting its ability to convert styrene into byproducts that are then utilized for cellular energy production.
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spelling doaj-art-1f216bc90969421198827ff266aee9e42025-01-12T12:22:41ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111010.1038/s41598-025-85517-xNovel insights into insect mediated polystyrene biodegradation through bacterial genome analysesFelice Zarra0Rebecca Funari1Claudio Cucini2Francesco Nardi3Antonio Carapelli4Laura Marri5Francesco Frati6Department of Life Sciences, University of SienaDepartment of Life Sciences, University of SienaDepartment of Life Sciences, University of SienaDepartment of Life Sciences, University of SienaDepartment of Life Sciences, University of SienaDepartment of Life Sciences, University of SienaDepartment of Life Sciences, University of SienaAbstract Plastic pollution is a significant environmental challenge of contemporary age. Polystyrene (PS), among the most commonly used plastic polymers worldwide, is highly durable and difficult to degrade. Despite various disposal strategies, PS continues to impact biodiversity, human health, and ecosystems. Recently, the scientific community has focused on the potential role of microorganisms for plastic biodegradation, particularly those from the gut of plastivorous insects. In a previous study, three bacterial strains, each representing a distinct taxonomic group (Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, and Stenotrophomonas), were isolated from Alphitobius diaperinus larvae after rearing on a PS diet and enriched in a medium with PS as the sole carbon source. The Stenotrophomonas sp. strain, here identified as S. indicatrix, showed the greatest potential for PS degradation. The present study investigates the genetic profile of the newly isolated S. indicatrix strain DAI2m/c through genome sequencing, to identify enzyme-encoding genes involved in the intracellular metabolic pathways responsible for the biodegradation of the styrene monomer. Our findings indicate that the genome of S. indicatrix strain DAI2m/c encodes all enzymes required for one of the two recognized styrene degradation pathways, suggesting its ability to convert styrene into byproducts that are then utilized for cellular energy production.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85517-xPlastic degradationWhole-genome sequencingAlphitobius diaperinusPlastivorous insectStenotrophomonas indicatrix strain DAI2m/cPhage-like elements
spellingShingle Felice Zarra
Rebecca Funari
Claudio Cucini
Francesco Nardi
Antonio Carapelli
Laura Marri
Francesco Frati
Novel insights into insect mediated polystyrene biodegradation through bacterial genome analyses
Scientific Reports
Plastic degradation
Whole-genome sequencing
Alphitobius diaperinus
Plastivorous insect
Stenotrophomonas indicatrix strain DAI2m/c
Phage-like elements
title Novel insights into insect mediated polystyrene biodegradation through bacterial genome analyses
title_full Novel insights into insect mediated polystyrene biodegradation through bacterial genome analyses
title_fullStr Novel insights into insect mediated polystyrene biodegradation through bacterial genome analyses
title_full_unstemmed Novel insights into insect mediated polystyrene biodegradation through bacterial genome analyses
title_short Novel insights into insect mediated polystyrene biodegradation through bacterial genome analyses
title_sort novel insights into insect mediated polystyrene biodegradation through bacterial genome analyses
topic Plastic degradation
Whole-genome sequencing
Alphitobius diaperinus
Plastivorous insect
Stenotrophomonas indicatrix strain DAI2m/c
Phage-like elements
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85517-x
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