Title : Design of a Synthetic Microbial Community (SynCom) with high crude oil-degrading potential for bioremediation applications
Abstract:
Mangrove ecosystems along Saudi Arabia’s coasts face significant restoration challenges due to environmental stressors, particularly crude oil contamination. This study proposes a novel strategy to enhance mangrove reforestation and bioremediation efforts through the development of a synthetic microbial community (SynCom) with optimized oil-degrading capabilities. Fifty bacterial isolates were recovered from the rhizosphere of Avicennia marina using an in situ cultivation device (iChip). Following comprehensive screening for hydrocarbon-degrading traits, five promising strains will be selected for SynCom assembly in various combinations. These SynComs will be systematically evaluated for their collective crude oil degradation potential at the community level. The most effective consortium will be applied as a bioinoculant in simulated bioremediation scenarios, targeting the restoration of oil-contaminated mangrove habitats. The success of inoculation will be assessed through plant growth parameters, rhizosphere microbiome profiling, and direct measurement of oil degradation capacity. This research offers a promising microbial-based approach for rehabilitating polluted coastal environments and directly aligns with Saudi Arabia’s broader environmental sustainability goals under the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI).
