Polysaccharide hydrolysis in the presence of oil and dispersants
Insights into potential degradation pathways of exopolymeric substances (EPS) from oil-degrading bacteria
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21242025 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Kai Ziervogel (0000-0002-4734-1369, University of New Hampshire), Samantha B Joye (0000-0003-1610-451X, University of Georgia), Sara Kleindienst (0000-0001-8304-9149, 3University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, DE), Sairah Y Malkin (0000-0002-7523-1589, 4University of Maryland, Cambridge, Maryland, US), Uta Passow (0000-0002-2296-6936, St. John's University), Andrew D Steen (0000-0003-4297-4332, Knoxville College), Carol Arnosti (0000-0002-6074-5341, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) |
| Editors | Jody W Deming (School of Oceanography, University of Washington a , US), Christine Michel (0000-0001-6150-4825, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute b , CA) |
| Year | 2019 |
| Volume | 7 |
| Publication date | 2019-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Elementa Science of the Anthropocene (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2325-1026 • E-ISSN: 2325-1026 |
| Publisher | University of California Press (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1525/elementa.371 |
| OpenAlex | W2964728516 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 58 |
Oceanic oil-degrading bacteria produce copious amounts of exopolymeric substances (EPS) that facilitate their access to oil. The fate of EPS in the water column is in part determined by activities of heterotrophic microbes capable of utilizing EPS compounds as carbon and energy sources. To evaluate the potential of natural microbial communities to degrade EPS produced during oil degradation, we measured potential hydrolysis rates of six structurally distinct polysaccharides in two roller bottle experiments, using water from a natural oil seep in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The suite of polysaccharides used to measure the initial step in carbon degradation is indicative of polymers within microbial EPS. The treatments included (i) unamended surface or deep waters (whole water), and water amended with (ii) a water-accommodated fraction of oil (WAF), (iii) oil dispersant Corexit 9500, and (iv) WAF chemically-enhanced with Corexit (CEWAF). The oil and Corexit treatments were employed to simulate conditions during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Polysaccharide hydrolysis rates in the surface-water treatments were lowest in the WAF treatment, despite elevated levels of EPS in the form of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP). In contrast, the three deep-water treatments (WAF, Corexit, CEWAF) showed enhanced hydrolysis rates and TEP levels (WAF) compared to the whole water. We also observed variations in the spectrum of polysaccharide-hydrolyzing enzyme activities among the treatments. These substrate specificities were likely driven by activities of oil-degrading bacteria, shaping the pool of EPS and TEP as well as degradation products of hydrocarbons and Corexit compounds. A model calculation of potential turnover rates of organic carbon within the TEP pool suggests extended residence times of TEP in oil-contaminated waters, making them prone to serve as the sticky matrix for oily aggregates known as marine oil snow
Bacteria · Biodegradation · Biology · Dispersant · Hydrolysis · Microbial biodegradation · Microorganism · Polysaccharide · Produced water · Chemistry · Environmental Science · Microbial bioremediation and biosurfactants · Microplastics and Plastic Pollution · Oil Spill Detection and Mitigation · Environmental Chemistry · Environmental Engineering · Organic Chemistry
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |