Genome Mining and Characterization of Landfill-Derived Bacillus pretiosus Reveals Biosynthetic Gene Clusters and Candidate Plastic-Degrading Genes

The rapid escalation of plastic pollution necessitates sustainable microbial solutions, particularly from organisms inhabiting waste-rich environments. This study reports the draft genome sequence of Bacillus pretiosus , isolated from landfill soil in Iloilo City, Philippines, with predicted genetic potential for plastic degradation. Whole genome sequencing using an Illumina NextSeq 1000 platform yielded a 5.82 Mbp genome with a GC content of 35.12%, N50 of 1.61 Mbp, and 99.8% BUSCO completeness(bacillales_odb10, n = 450). Phylogenomic analysis via TYGS and ANI comparisons confirmed the isolate’s identity as B. pretiosus (dDDH: 73.2%, ANI: 96.93%). Annotation revealed 6,589 genes, including 6,092 protein-coding sequences. Notably, 13 genes encoding for enzymes associated with the degradation of 13 plastic types, including polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHB), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyethylene (PE) were identified using PlasticDB. In addition, biosynthetic gene clusters encoding siderophores, nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPS), β-lactones, RiPP-like compounds, terpenes, linear azol(in)e-containing peptides (LAPs), and lassopeptides were detected. These findings underscore the diverse potential of environmental Bacillus in both plastic biodegradation and discovery of secondary metabolites for biotechnological applications.