Culture-Dependent and Metagenomic Profiling of Eukaryal Diversity in Petroleum Hydrocarbon-Polluted Soil from B-Dere, Gokana, Rivers State, Nigeria

B-Dere is one of the communities in Ogoniland and a major oil producing area Rivers State where exploration production activities commenced 50 years ago now characterized by fields installations that have remained dormant for several decades. Past spills, lack maintenance, trapping damage to infrastructures been common sight this region environment has without remediation over years. community suffered surface water pollution throughout its creeks with massive hydrocarbons remediation. The aim study was determine Culture- dependent Metagenomic studies fungal diversity petroleum polluted soils Gokana LGA State, Nigeria. This profile through next-generation techniques shotgun sequencing total DNA isolates directly from environment. Soil samples were collected aseptically hand auger at depths 0-15 15-30 cm made up composite sample transported laboratory analysis using standard microbiological methods culture- while carried out Microbial Insights, Incorporated; United America. In used identification crude B-Dere. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extraction soil performed ZymoBiomics kits (Zymo Research, Inc; USA). next generation technique nucleotide sequence all eukaryal structure present ITS region. Results culture-dependent showed only two genera namely Penicillium sp Aspergillus isolated identified mainly dominated (73.33%), followed Rhodotorula (6.54%), Dactylellina(5.09%), Kalmanozyma(2.56%), Fereydounia(1.89%), Xerochrysium(1.36%), Arthrobotrys (1.14%) Diutina (0.77%) metagenomic analysis. However three groups classified as Ascomycota, Basidiomycota Mucoromycota Ascomycota having highest taxonomic reads 86.76%. However, 60 species identified, study. conclusion, these strains can be bioremediation process reduction ecosystems because their high activity aliphatic hydrocarbon degradation cell hydrophobicity. assays appear suitable alternatives rapid above mentioned isolates.