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Bonatelli ML, Rohwerder T, Popp D, Liu Y, Akay C, Schultz C, Liao KP, Ding C, Reemtsma T, Adrian L, Kleinsteuber S. Recently evolved combination of unique sulfatase and amidase genes enables bacterial degradation of the wastewater micropollutant acesulfame worldwide. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1223838. [PMID: 37577448 PMCID: PMC10413263 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1223838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Xenobiotics often challenge the principle of microbial infallibility. One example is acesulfame introduced in the 1980s as zero-calorie sweetener, which was recalcitrant in wastewater treatment plants until the early 2010s. Then, efficient removal has been reported with increasing frequency. By studying acesulfame metabolism in alphaproteobacterial degraders of the genera Bosea and Chelatococcus, we experimentally confirmed the previously postulated route of two subsequent hydrolysis steps via acetoacetamide-N-sulfonate (ANSA) to acetoacetate and sulfamate. Genome comparison of wildtype Bosea sp. 100-5 and an acesulfame degradation-defective mutant revealed the involvement of two plasmid-borne gene clusters. The acesulfame-hydrolyzing sulfatase is strictly manganese-dependent and belongs to the metallo beta-lactamase family. In all degraders analyzed, it is encoded on a highly conserved gene cluster embedded in a composite transposon. The ANSA amidase, on the other hand, is an amidase signature domain enzyme encoded in another gene cluster showing variable length among degrading strains. Transposition of the sulfatase gene cluster between chromosome and plasmid explains how the two catabolic gene clusters recently combined for the degradation of acesulfame. Searching available genomes and metagenomes for the two hydrolases and associated genes indicates that the acesulfame plasmid evolved and spread worldwide in short time. While the sulfatase is unprecedented and unique for acesulfame degraders, the amidase occurs in different genetic environments and likely evolved for the degradation of other substrates. Evolution of the acesulfame degradation pathway might have been supported by the presence of structurally related natural and anthropogenic compounds, such as aminoacyl sulfamate ribonucleotide or sulfonamide antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria L. Bonatelli
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thore Rohwerder
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Denny Popp
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Caglar Akay
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Carolyn Schultz
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kuan-Po Liao
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Chang Ding
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thorsten Reemtsma
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lorenz Adrian
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
- Chair for Geobiotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sabine Kleinsteuber
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
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Kleinsteuber S, Rohwerder T, Lohse U, Seiwert B, Reemtsma T. Sated by a Zero-Calorie Sweetener: Wastewater Bacteria Can Feed on Acesulfame. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2606. [PMID: 31824446 PMCID: PMC6879467 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The widely used artificial sweetener acesulfame K has long been considered recalcitrant in biological wastewater treatment. Due to its persistence and mobility in the aquatic environment, acesulfame has been used as marker substance for wastewater input in surface water and groundwater. However, recent studies indicated that the potential to remove this xenobiotic compound is emerging in wastewater treatment plants worldwide, leading to decreasing mass loads in receiving waters despite unchanged human consumption patterns. Here we show evidence that acesulfame can be mineralized in a catabolic process and used as sole carbon source by bacterial pure strains isolated from activated sludge and identified as Bosea sp. and Chelatococcus sp. The strains mineralize 1 g/L acesulfame K within 8-9 days. We discuss the potential degradation pathway and how this novel catabolic trait confirms the "principle of microbial infallibility." Once the enzymes involved in acesulfame degradation and their genes are identified, it will be possible to survey diverse environments and trace back the evolutionary origin as well as the mechanisms of global distribution and establishment of such a new catabolic trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Kleinsteuber
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thore Rohwerder
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ute Lohse
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Bettina Seiwert
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thorsten Reemtsma
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Analytical Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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Rudan-Tasic D, Klofutar C, Bešter-Rogač M. Dipole moment and self-association of acesulfame and saccharin in 1,4-dioxane solution at 298.15 K. MONATSHEFTE FUR CHEMIE 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s00706-010-0411-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Rohse H, Belitz HD. Sweet and bitter taste of oxathiazinone dioxides and benzisothiazolone dioxides. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1988. [DOI: 10.1007/bf01122643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Bestimmung von Acesulfam-K, Aspartam, Cyclamat und Saccharin in fruchtsafthaltigen Erfrischungsgetr�nken. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1987. [DOI: 10.1007/bf01027750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Beck W, Ambach E, Nagel U. Palladium- und Platin(II)-Komplexe mit den Anionen von 6-Methyl-1,2,3-oxathiazin-4(3H)-on-2,2-dioxid undN-2-Pyrimidinylsulfanilamid. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1985. [DOI: 10.1002/cber.19851180205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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Kresze G, Bussas R. 3-Oxa-En-Reaktionen vonN-Sulfinyl-nonafluorbutansulfonamid mit Alkanonen – allgemeine Synthese für 2-Oxoalkansulfinsäure-Derivate. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 1980. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.19800920922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Clauss K, Lück E, von Rymon Lipinski GW. [Acetosulfam, a new sweetener. 1. synthesis and properties (author's transl)]. ZEITSCHRIFT FUR LEBENSMITTEL-UNTERSUCHUNG UND -FORSCHUNG 1976; 162:37-40. [PMID: 969911 DOI: 10.1007/bf01104359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
A survey is given of synthesis, chemical and physical properties, and hydrolytic stability of the new sweetener Acetosulfam (3,4-Dihydro-6-methyl-1,2,3-oxathiazin-4-one-2,2 dioxide potassium salt).
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Clauβ K, Friedrich HJ, Jensen H. Reaktionen der Aldehyde und Ketone mit Chlor- und Fluorsulfonylisocyanat. European J Org Chem 1974. [DOI: 10.1002/jlac.197419740404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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