Self-healing capacity of deep-sea ecosystems affected by petroleum hydrocarbons: Understanding microbial oil degradation at hydrocarbon seeps is key to sustainable bioremediation protocols

Alberto Scoma; Michail M Yakimov; Daniele Daffonchio; Nico Boon

doi:10.15252/embr.201744090

Self-healing capacity of deep-sea ecosystems affected by petroleum hydrocarbons: Understanding microbial oil degradation at hydrocarbon seeps is key to sustainable bioremediation protocols

EMBO Rep. 2017 Jun;18(6):868-872. doi: 10.15252/embr.201744090. Epub 2017 May 17.

Authors

Alberto Scoma^{1

2}, Michail M Yakimov^{3

4}, Daniele Daffonchio⁵, Nico Boon¹

Affiliations

¹ Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Ghent University (UGent), Gent, Belgium.
² Center for Geomicrobiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
³ Institute for Coastal Marine Environment (IAMC), National Council of Research (CNR), Messina, Italy.
⁴ Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia.
⁵ Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

A rich microbiota in the deep‐sea oceans has evolved to live off petroleum from natural oil seeps. Understanding their ecology and biology could inform measures for sustainable bioremediation of artificial oil spills.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biodegradation, Environmental
Ecosystem*
Hydrocarbons / chemistry*
Petroleum

Substances

Hydrocarbons
Petroleum