OIL-EATING
BACTERIA – SCI & TECH
News:
Bacterial reshaping
speeds hydrocarbon breakdown
What's
in the news?
●
“Oil-eating” Alcanivorax borkumensis
bacteria form “dendritic” biofilms that reshape oil droplets to speed up the
rate of consumption, researchers report.
Alcanivorax borkumensis:
●
It is a marine bacterium that uses exclusively petroleum oil hydrocarbons as
sources of carbon and energy (and is therefore designated
“hydrocarbonoclastic”).
●
It is found in low numbers in all oceans
of the world and becomes abundant in oil-contaminated waters.
●
It may now serve as a model organism to
understand bacterial alkane metabolism.
Features:
●
It is a rod- shaped bacteria without flagella that obtains its energy
primarily from eating alkanes (a type of hydrocarbon).
●
It is aerobic,
meaning it uses oxygen to gain energy.
●
It is halophilic,
meaning it tends to form in environments that contain salt, such as salty ocean
water.
●
It also can flourish in areas with heavy
tides and other sea-related currents.
●
It is found only on or near the surface of
the water.
●
It can live in salinities ranging from
1‐12.5% and in temperatures ranging from 4‐35°C.
●
Its ubiquity, unusual physiology and
demonstrated role in biodegradation show that it is globally important in the
removal of hydrocarbons from polluted marine systems.