Cold-water gut isolate from threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) reveals polypropylene surface oxidation and co-culture inhibition.

Cold-water gut microbes from Gasterosteus aculeatus can oxidize polypropylene, but microbial interactions may inhibit this bioremediation potential, especially in cold environments.

• Why it matters: Plastic pollution persists in cold aquatic ecosystems where low temperatures slow degradation, and microbial contributions to plastic breakdown are poorly understood, hindering bioremediation strategies.
• What they did: 184 microbes were isolated from Alaskan stickleback guts and screened for plastic-degrading activity using assays and surface analysis, revealing potential for polypropylene oxidation and microbial suppression effects.
• The result: A Pseudomonas trivialis strain showed evidence of polypropylene surface oxidation in monoculture, but activity was suppressed by Pseudomonas germanica in co-culture, highlighting microbial interactions' role in plastic degradation.