Seawater bacterium breaks down antibiotic pollution in two days
Wu S, Zhang L, Yang J, Lin Q, Zhen Y
Phytoremediation
The same antibiotic residues washing off farms and into waterways near wild plant habitats can drive antibiotic resistance, and this bacterium's enzymes point toward a biological cleanup tool that could protect wetland and shoreline ecosystems downstream.
Researchers found a bacterium living in the ocean that can eat a type of antibiotic called piperacillin, breaking it down completely in two days and destroying its ability to kill other bacteria. They also decoded the bacterium's full genetic blueprint and found two genes that make the enzymes responsible, which could one day be harvested to clean antibiotic-contaminated water without needing the live bacteria itself.
Key Findings
Bacillus cereus strain PP1 fully degraded piperacillin at a high starting concentration of 100 mg/L within 48 hours and eliminated its antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive test bacteria.
UHPLC-MS/MS analysis showed piperacillin breaks down mainly via β-lactam ring opening plus side-chain cleavage, and the resulting breakdown products showed no hemolytic activity, though the live bacterium itself does cause hemolysis.
Whole-genome sequencing (5,285,738 bp single chromosome) identified two candidate β-lactamase genes (PP1_BLA_A, class A; PP1_BLA_B, class B) whose predicted structures and docking results show both can bind piperacillin via distinct mechanisms.
chevron_right Technical Summary
A marine bacterium found in seawater can completely break down piperacillin, a common antibiotic, within 48 hours, neutralizing its antibacterial activity. Scientists also pinpointed the specific bacterial genes behind this ability, opening a path toward using engineered enzymes to clean up antibiotic pollution in water.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Biodegradation Characteristics of Piperacillin by Marine Bacillus cereus PP1 and Genome-Guided Mining of Candidate β-Lactamases.
Antibiotic residues in aquatic environments are an increasing concern because they may retain antibacterial activity, promote antibiotic resistance and generate transformation products with uncerta...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Was this useful?
Want to tell us more? (optional)
Thanks for the note!
Something went wrong — please try again.
Too many submissions. Try again in an hour.
Nanoplastics interfere with plant-mycorrhizal communication and limit plant growth.
Microplastics breaking down in your garden soil are quietly strangling the beneficial fungi that help your vegetables absorb phosphorus and other nutrients, ...
Soil health is the capacity of soil to function as a living ecosystem, supporting complex interactions between microorganisms, soil fauna, and plant communities. For plant science, soil health is critical because these biological and chemical soil properties directly control nutrient availability,
arrow_forward Explore topic