Metagenomics and metatranscriptomics of prokaryotic and fungal microbiomes in produced water associated with petroleum degradation and pipeline corrosion from an oil terminal in Brazil.
Gomes RF, García GJY, Cardoso MS, Dutra JDCF, de Abreu Waldow V
Phytoremediation
The same mold genera quietly decomposing a forgotten lemon in your kitchen — Penicillium, Rhizopus — turn out to be active petroleum-eaters in industrial pipelines, hinting that fungi could be recruited to clean hydrocarbon-contaminated soil in your region.
Researchers collected water from inside oil pipelines in Brazil and identified every living microorganism in it — not just bacteria, but also ancient single-celled organisms called archaea and various molds and yeasts. They found that the fungi weren't just hitchhikers; they were actively metabolizing petroleum compounds. This suggests fungi could be harnessed to naturally clean up oil spills in soil and waterways.
Key Findings
Common mold genera (Penicillium, Rhizopus, Absidia) dominated fungal DNA, while yeasts (Pichia, Saccharomycodes, Schizosaccharomyces) were the most metabolically active fungi, suggesting different species handle colonization vs. active breakdown
Corrosion-causing bacteria were present in high numbers but their key corrosion genes (aprAB, dsrABC) showed very low expression, meaning detection alone overstates the actual corrosion threat
Methane-producing archaea (Methanocalculus, Methanoplanus, Methanothrix) showed strong gene expression, confirming they are the most metabolically dominant microbes in this petroleum environment
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists mapped all the bacteria, archaea, and fungi living in oily wastewater from Brazilian oil pipelines, finding that common molds and yeasts are metabolically active participants in breaking down petroleum — a role previously overlooked in these industrial microbiomes.
Abstract Preview
The prokaryotic microbial communities involved in hydrocarbon degradation and associated with oil pipeline corrosion have been extensively studied. Nonetheless, fungi can perform significant metabo...
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