---

This book is a scientific study on the hydrocarbon degradation potential of the Red Sea. Metagenomic analysis platform was establish in order to investigate the microbial community for the presence of hydrocarbon related metabolism genes. In parallel oil enriched microcosms were established from which was possible to isolate hydrocarbon degraders bacteria typical of the Red Sea. Eventually the community of the microcosms was analyzed after the enrichment and successively compared with the metagenomic data from the pristine water of the Red Sea. Presented here is also the characterization of bacteria from genera Alcanivorax and Thalassospira representing the former a novel species and the latter an ecotype typical from the Red Sea.

---

Bianchi, Patrick
I am Patrick Bianchi, Ph.D in Microbiology at KAUST. I earned a bachelor and master in molecular biotechnology in Turin, which thesis was on the developpment of MRI liposomial nanoparticles for oncological applications. My scientific interests includes prokaryotes and eukaryotes with particular focus on molecular biology processes and biochemistry.

---