Nature · 26 August 2026 · From issue 27
Synergistic degradation of fucoidans in the ocean
Teams of ocean bacteria fully break down tough algae sugars that single microbes cannot handle alone.
Andreas Sichert, Shaul Pollak et al.
Ocean bacteria can team up to break down tough sugar molecules from algae. Scientists once thought these molecules resisted decay for a very long time. Working together, different bacteria removed up to 97.1% of the material. No single microbe could do this alone, because each one only handles part of the job.
The share of tough algae sugar broken down when bacteria worked together as a team.
Lab-built bacteria community only, not tested in the open ocean.
Integrity screen: passed (3 checks) Checked 27 August 2026. Retraction record: none. DOI resolves at doi.org. Metadata record found (Nature). Read the source
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