Editorial: Exploration of Marine Microorganisms for Sustainable Biotechnology

Jinwei Zhang^1,2,3*Leonel Pereira⁴Runying Zeng⁵

• ¹Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Shanghai, China
• ²Xiamen University School of Medicine, Xiamen, China
• ³University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
• ⁴Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
• ⁵Third Institute of Oceanography Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China

Exploration of Marine Microorganisms for Sustainable Biotechnology-Bridging Discovery, The ocean, covering over 70% of Earth's surface, harbors an estimated 10 29 microbial cells that form the foundation of marine ecosystems and a largely untapped reservoir of biotechnological potential.As global demands for sustainable solutions intensify-from environmental remediation to novel bioproduct development-marine microorganisms have emerged as pivotal players, offering unique metabolic pathways, enzymes, and bioactive compounds shaped by millions of years of adaptation to extreme and diverse habitats. This special issue, "Exploration of Marine Microorganisms for Sustainable Biotechnology," aims to showcase cutting-edge research that unlocks this potential while upholding the principles of ecological sustainability and responsible resource utilization.Sustainable biotechnology relying on marine microbes addresses two critical global imperatives: harnessing nature's innovation for human needs and safeguarding the marine environment that sustains these resources. Marine microbial communities, from shallow coastal waters to the hadal zone (6,000-11,000 m depth), have evolved specialized metabolic capabilities to thrive in oligotrophic, high-pressure, low-temperature, or pollutant-rich environments. These adaptations translate into unique biocatalysts for biodegradation, novel secondary metabolites for therapeutics and 1 cosmetics, and efficient biosynthetic pathways for applications. 2 Yet, realizing this potential is hampered by inherent challenges. The "great plate count anomaly" 3 leaves over 99% of marine microbes unculturable under conventional laboratory conditions, limiting 4 direct access to their metabolic diversity. Logistical hurdles in deep-sea sampling and analysis, 5 coupled with the need to balance resource exploitation ecosystem preservation, further 6 complicate progress. Fortunately, recent technological advances-including metagenomic sequencing, 7 single-cell genomics, synthetic biology, and sustainable cultivation systems-have begun to 8 overcome these barriers, enabling unprecedented insights into microbial diversity, function, and 9 application that lay the groundwork for the research featured in this special issue. 10Building on these technological breakthroughs, this special issue brings together 5 impactful 11 publications (4 research articles and 1 comprehensive review) that align with the core themes of 12 marine microbial exploration, sustainable utilization, and biotechnological innovation. Collectively, 13 these works advance our understanding of marine microbial biology while providing practical 14 solutions for industrial and environmental challenges, directly addressing the imperatives and 15 (HMW) PAHs-persistent organic pollutants (POPs) with severe ecological and human health 17 impacts. The strain exhibits robust degradation efficiency under low-temperature and high-pressure 18 conditions, mirroring its native habitat, showcasing how microbial adaptations to extreme 19 environments can be harnessed for bioremediation. 20Complementing this work, Sardar identifies a marine Metabacillus niabensis strain capable of 21 degrading polyethylene (PE)-one of the most abundant and recalcitrant plastics in marine 22 environments. The study characterizes the biodegradation pathway and key enzymes involved, 23 providing evidence for microbial adaptation to plastic pollution in marine ecosystems. Together, these 24 two studies align with emerging research highlighting marine microbes as critical agents for 25 environmental self-repair, offering practical strains and mechanisms for developing sustainable 26 bioremediation technologies that address the imperative of safeguarding the marine environment 27 while solving human-induced pollution challenges. 28The publications in this special issue represent significant strides in marine microbial sustainable 29 biotechnology, but several frontiers remain to be explored to fully realize the potential outlined in the 30 thematic landscape. First, advancing sustainable cultivation techniques for unculturable microbes-31 such as microfluidic-based single-cell cultivation and in situ simulation of marine habitats-will 32 expand access to microbial diversity beyond what current culture-independent methods can achieve. 33Second, integrating synthetic biology with genome mining (as demonstrated in Yuan et al.'s 1 production of high-value compounds, addressing the industrial application gap. Third, conducting 1 comprehensive life cycle assessments (LCAs) of marine microbial bioprocesses-from sampling to 2 production-is essential to quantify environmental impacts and ensure true sustainability, reinforcing the dual imperative of harnessing innovation and protecting ecosystems. Finally, addressing ethical 4 and regulatory considerations for marine bioprospecting will safeguard marine ecosystems while 5 promoting innovation, ensuring that future exploration adheres to responsible resource utilization 6 principles. 7 8 AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS 9 J.Z. took the lead in conceiving the Research Topic and drafted the entire manuscript. J.Z., L.P., and 10 R.Z. participated in the review and revision process to refine the content. All contributing authors 11 have reviewed the final version of the manuscript and approved its publication. 12 The authors confirm that no commercial or financial affiliations existed during the research that might 14 be interpreted as giving rise to a potential conflict of interest. 15