The role of multi-low molecular weight organic acids on phenanthrene biodegradation: Insight from cellular characteristics and proteomics

Lei Zhang; Haiyang Cui; Mina Liu; Weidong Wang; Xiujuan Li; He Huang

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138406

The role of multi-low molecular weight organic acids on phenanthrene biodegradation: Insight from cellular characteristics and proteomics

Chemosphere. 2023 Jun:326:138406. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138406. Epub 2023 Mar 14.

Authors

Lei Zhang¹, Haiyang Cui², Mina Liu³, Weidong Wang⁴, Xiujuan Li⁵, He Huang⁶

Affiliations

¹ College of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresources and Environment, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, 222005, China; College of Food Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, 222005, China.
² RWTH Aachen University, Templergraben 55, Aachen, 52062, Germany.
³ College of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
⁴ Research Institute of Petroleum Engineering and Technology, Shengli Oilfield Company, Sinopec, Dongying, 257067, China.
⁵ College of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210009, China. Electronic address: lixiujuan@njnu.edu.cn.
⁶ College of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210009, China. Electronic address: huangh@njnu.edu.cn.

PMID: 36925006
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138406

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are carcinogenic and ubiquitous pollutants that need to be solved. The low-molecular-weight organic acid (LMWOA) holds the promise to accelerate the capacity of microbes to degrade PAHs. However, the degradation mechanism(s) with multi-LMWOAs has not been understood yet, which is closer to the complex environmental biodegradation in nature. Here, we demonstrated a comprehensive cellular and proteomic response pattern by investigating the relationship between a model PAH degrading strain, B. subtilis ZL09-26, and the mixture LMWOAs (citric acid, glutaric acid, and oxalic acid). As a result, multi-LMWOAs introduced a highly enhanced phenanthrene (PHE) degradation efficiency with up to 3.1-fold improvement at 72 h, which is accompanied by the enhancement of strain growth and activity, but the releasement of membrane damages and oxidative stresses. Moreover, a detailed proteomic analysis revealed that the synergistic perturbation of various metabolic pathways jointly governed the change of cellular behaviors and improved PHE degradation in a network manner. The obtained knowledge provides a foundation for designing the artificial LMWOAs mixtures and guides the rational remediation of contaminated soils using bio-stimulation techniques.

Keywords: Bioremediation; Cells characteristics; Multi-LMWOAs; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Proteomics.

MeSH terms

Acids
Biodegradation, Environmental
Molecular Weight
Organic Chemicals
Phenanthrenes* / analysis
Phenanthrenes* / toxicity
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons* / analysis
Proteomics
Soil Pollutants* / analysis

Substances

phenanthrene
Phenanthrenes
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Organic Chemicals
Acids
Soil Pollutants