PhyloChip tech detects microbial community alterations in dispersed oil plumes from BP spill

(August 25, 2010 – BUSINESS WIRE) — PhyloTech Inc.’s PhyloChip technology was used in analysis of oil-degrading bacteria during the BP oil spill from the Deepwater Horizon. A peer-reviewed article on the work will be published in the journal Science, titled “Deep-sea oil plume enriches indigenous oil-degrading bacteria.”

The publication reports on water samples collected almost a mile deep off the Gulf of Mexico shore between May 25 and June 2, 2010 during the catastrophic BP oil spill from the Deepwater Horizon drill. PhyloChip analysis of bacterial DNA rapidly revealed distinct differences between plume samples with parts per billion levels of dispersed oil and non-plume samples. In plume samples, 952 distinct bacterial taxa in 62 phyla were detected, a 40% decline in bacterial richness compared to the non-plume samples. The PhyloChip technology identified 16 distinct taxa that were significantly enriched in the plume samples, all classified as γ-Proteobacteria. Nearly all of the bacteria enriched in the plume are either known to degrade hydrocarbons or have been observed in previous investigations to thrive in the presence of crude oil in cold waters. According to the authors, the presence of hydrocarbon-degrading microbial communities implies “a potential for intrinsic bioremediation of oil contaminants in the deep-sea.”

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“Microbial communities are sentinels of environmental and human health,” said Thane Kreiner, Ph.D., Founder, President, and CEO of PhyloTech Inc. “This Science paper demonstrates how our PhyloChip technology can help assess environmental damages and monitor restoration status.”

Also read: Nano, bio converge to provide key nanotech link and visit the Microfluidics section of our MEMS page

Watch a video about the use of PhyloChip analysis in the Deepwater Horizon spill here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbvV26A9eJg&feature=player_embedded

PhyloTech provides analysis of over 50,000 bacterial and archaeal taxa in samples from any source to solve problems in human health, environmental damages assessment, bioremediation, recreational water quality, drinking water and food safety, and a variety of other applications. PhyloTech was founded in June 2009 based on proprietary PhyloChip and related technology invented in Dr. Gary Andersen’s lab at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. PhyloTech commenced commercial operations in July 2010. For further information, visit www.phylotech.com

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