Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen have discovered that dozens of animal species can break down and assimilate polyhydroxyalkanoates produced by bacteria, reports infohub.kz.
Biologists have long known that bacteria and archaea synthesize natural polymers—polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs)—storing them in cells as an energy source. Previously, it was thought that only microorganisms could break down these microbiological bioplastics. However, the authors of a study published in the journal "Nature Ecology & Evolution" have refuted this misconception.
Examination of the gutless marine worm Olavius algarvensis showed that the animal uses special enzymes to digest PHAs accumulated by its symbiotic bacteria. Caroline Zeidler, Nicole Dubilier, and Maggie Sogin found that similar enzymes are present in more than 66 animal species from nine different phyla, including sea stars, sponges, and earthworms.
This indicates that animals have been utilizing carbon reserves accumulated by microorganisms for hundreds of millions of years. This discovery changes scientists' understanding of the global carbon cycle and the pathways of biodegradable material processing in nature.