动物数百万年来一直在食用自然界的原始生物塑料

德国马克斯·普朗克海洋微生物研究所的研究人员发现，数十种动物物种具有分解微生物生物塑料（聚羟基烷酸/PHAs）的酶，这一发现颠覆了此前关于仅有微生物能降解此类物质的认识。1研究者从海洋蠕虫开始调查，最终在来自9个不同生物门类的超过66个物种中识别出了这种分解酶，这些物种包括海绵、蚯蚓和弹尾虫等系统发育上距离遥远的动物。1

聚羟基烷酸（PHAs）是由细菌和古菌天然产生的物质，通常用作其碳和能量储备。1研究利用高分辨率成像技术发现，负责分解这种物质的酶在蠕虫体内的产生位置与其消化细菌伙伴的位置相同。1该研究成果已发表在《自然生态与进化》期刊上。1研究团队负责人Nicole Dubilier表示："动物可能已经数亿年来一直以自然界的原始生物塑料为食——我们只是现在才发现它。"1

Researchers at Germany's Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology have discovered that more than 66 animal species spanning nine different biological phyla possess enzymes capable of breaking down polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a microbial bioplastic previously thought to be degradable only by microorganisms 1. The investigation began with a jawless, gutless marine worm and ultimately revealed that distant animal species—including sponges, earthworms, and springtails—all harbor this degradation ability 1. The findings suggest that animals may have been feeding on nature's primordial bioplastic for hundreds of millions of years, though scientists are only now uncovering this capability 1.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates are naturally produced by bacteria and archaea as a means of storing carbon and energy reserves 1. High-resolution imaging demonstrated that the enzyme responsible for breaking down PHAs is generated in the same location within worms where they digest their bacterial partners 1. Nicole Dubilier, one of the researchers, stated: "Animals may have been eating nature's original bioplastic for hundreds of millions of years—we're only just now discovering it" 1. The research was published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution 1.