Phenotypic and Genomic Characterization of Polyethylene-Degrading Bacillus cereus PE-1 Enriched from Landfill Microbial Consortium

Polyethylene (PE) is one of the most persistent pollutants in the environment. Here, we enriched a microbial consortium (PEH) and isolated a bacterial strain, <i>Bacillus cereus</i> PE-1, capable of degrading PE from landfill soil using PE as the sole carbon source. Scanning electron microscopy revealed significant surface erosion, while weight loss reached up to 4.57% after 30 days. TGA showed a 5.88% decrease in onset degradation temperature, and contact angle measurements indicated increased hydrophilicity. Elemental analysis confirmed oxygen incorporation into the polymer matrix. Genome sequencing revealed genes associated with biofilm formation (<i>epsA</i>, <i>epsB</i>, <i>pgaC</i>), oxidation (laccase, copper oxidase), hydrolysis (esterase, lipase, PHB depolymerase), and β-oxidation pathways. While these genomic findings indicate a predicted capacity for assimilation, no transcriptomic or proteomic validation was performed in this study. These findings suggest that PE-1 can colonize PE, initiate oxidative cleavage, and potentially assimilate breakdown products. This study provides new insights into the microbial degradation of polyolefins and identifies a promising bacterial candidate for plastic bioremediation.