Hydrocarbon-eating bacteria speed up consumption by reshaping oil droplets

Specialised marine bacteria that bloom following oil spills form unique biofilms that reshape the oil droplets, allowing more bacteria to feed at once. The finding improves scientists’ understanding of the processes that drive biodegradation of spilled oil.

The bacterium Alcanivorax borkumensis consumes hydrocarbons as its sole carbon and energy source. The marine bacteria are known to form biofilms around oil droplets, but how exactly this process works hasn’t previously been fully understood.