Production and characterization of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) generated by a carbofuran degrading strain Cupriavidus sp. ISTL7

The novel hydrolase IpcH initiates the degradation of isoprocarb in a newly isolated strain Rhodococcus sp. D-6

Isoprocarb (IPC), a representative monocyclic carbamate insecticide, poses risks of environmental contamination and harm to non-target organisms. However, its degradation mechanism has not been reported. In this study, a newly IPC-degrading strain D-6 was isolated from the genus Rhodococcus, and its degradation characteristics and pathway of IPC were analyzed. A novel hydrolase IpcH, responsible for hydrolyzing IPC to 2-isopropylphenol (IPP), was identified. IpcH exhibited low similarity (< 27 %) with other reported hydrolases, including previously characterized carbamate insecticides hydrolases, indicating its novelty. The Km and kcat values of IpcH towards IPC were 69.99 ± 8.33 μM and 95.96 ± 4.02 s-1, respectively. Also, IpcH exhibited catalytic activity towards various types of carbamate insecticides, including monocyclic carbamates (IPC, fenobucarb and propoxur), bicyclic carbamates (carbaryl and carbofuran), and linear carbamates (oxamyl and aldicarb). The molecular docking and site-directed mutagenesis revealed that His254, His256, His329 and His376 were essential for IpcH activity. Strain D-6 can effectively reduce the toxicity of IPC and IPP towards sensitive organisms through its degradation ability. This study presents the initial report on IPC degradation pathway and molecular mechanism of IPC degradation, and provides a good potential strain for bioremediating IPC and IPP-contaminated environments.

Delineating acetaminophen biodegradation kinetics and metabolomics using bacterial community

Acetaminophen [N-(4-hydroxyphenyl) acetamide, APAP] is an extensively and frequently consumed over-the-counter analgesic and antiphlogistic medication. It is being regarded as an emerging pollutant due to its continuous increment in the environment instigating inimical impacts on humans and the ecosystem. Considering its wide prevalence in the environment, there is an immense need of appropriate methods for the removal of APAP. The present study indulged screening and isolation of APAP degrading bacterial strains from pharmaceuticals-contaminated sites, followed by their molecular characterization via 16S rRNA sequencing. The phylogenetic analyses assigned the isolates to the genera Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Paracoccus, Agrobacterium, Brucella, Escherichia, and Enterobacter based on genetic relatedness. The efficacy of these strains in batch cultures tested through High-performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) revealed Paracoccus sp. and Enterobacter sp. as the most promising bacterial isolates degrading up to 88.96 and 85.92%, respectively of 300 mg L-1 of APAP within 8 days of incubation. Michaelis-Menten kinetics model parameters also elucidated the high degradation potential of these isolates. The major metabolites identified through FTIR and GC-MS analyses were 4-aminophenol, hydroquinone, and 3-hydroxy-2,4-hexadienedioic. Therefore, the outcomes of this comprehensive investigation will be of paramount significance in formulating strategies for the bioremediation of acetaminophen-contaminated sites through a natural augmentation process via native bacterial strains.

Deciphering the microbial landscape of lower respiratory tract infections: insights from metagenomics and machine learning

Background

Lower respiratory tract infections represent prevalent ailments. Nonetheless, current comprehension of the microbial ecosystems within the lower respiratory tract remains incomplete and necessitates further comprehensive assessment. Leveraging the advancements in metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) technology alongside the emergence of machine learning, it is now viable to compare the attributes of lower respiratory tract microbial communities among patients across diverse age groups, diseases, and infection types.

Method

We collected bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples from 138 patients diagnosed with lower respiratory tract infections and conducted mNGS to characterize the lung microbiota. Employing various machine learning algorithms, we investigated the correlation of key bacteria in patients with concurrent bronchiectasis and developed a predictive model for hospitalization duration based on these identified key bacteria.

Result

We observed variations in microbial communities across different age groups, diseases, and infection types. In the elderly group, Pseudomonas aeruginosa exhibited the highest relative abundance, followed by Corynebacterium striatum and Acinetobacter baumannii. Methylobacterium and Prevotella emerged as the dominant genera at the genus level in the younger group, while Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Haemophilus influenzae were prevalent species. Within the bronchiectasis group, dominant bacteria included Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Haemophilus influenzae, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Significant differences in the presence of Pseudomonas phage JBD93 were noted between the bronchiectasis group and the control group. In the group with concomitant fungal infections, the most abundant genera were Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas, with Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa as the predominant species. Notable differences were observed in the presence of Human gammaherpesvirus 4, Human betaherpesvirus 5, Candida albicans, Aspergillus oryzae, and Aspergillus fumigatus between the group with concomitant fungal infections and the bacterial group. Machine learning algorithms were utilized to select bacteria and clinical indicators associated with hospitalization duration, confirming the excellent performance of bacteria in predicting hospitalization time.

Conclusion

Our study provided a comprehensive description of the microbial characteristics among patients with lower respiratory tract infections, offering insights from various perspectives. Additionally, we investigated the advanced predictive capability of microbial community features in determining the hospitalization duration of these patients.

Noncovalent binding of carbofuran to acetylcholinesterase from Homo sapiens, Danio rerio, Apis mellifera and Caenorhabditis elegans: Homology modelling, molecular docking and dynamics, and quantum biochemistry description

Although various regulatory agencies have banned or severely restricted the use of carbofuran (CAR), recent reports indicate the presence of CAR residues in both cultivated and wild areas. This pesticide is a potent inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which acts by preventing the hydrolysis of acetylcholine (ACh). Given the critical role of AChE::ACh in the proper functioning of the nervous system, we thought it appropriate to investigate the binding of CAR to AChEs from Homo sapiens, Danio rerio, Apis mellifera, and Caenorhabditis elegans using homology modelling, molecular docking, molecular dynamics, and quantum biochemistry. Molecular docking and dynamics results indicated peculiar structural behavior in each AChE::CAR system. Quantum biochemistry results showed similar affinities for all complexes, confirming the description of carbofuran as a broad-spectrum pesticide, and have a limited correlation with IC50 values. We found the following decreasing affinity order of AChE species: H. sapiens > A. mellifera > C. elegans > D. rerio. The computational results suggest that CAR occupies different pockets in the AChEs studied. In addition, our results showed that CAR binds to hsAChE and ceAChE in a very similar manner: it has high affinities for the same subsites in both species and forms hydrogen bonds with residues (hsTYR124 and ceTRP107) occupying homologous positions in the peripheral site. This suggests that this nematode is a potential model to evaluate the toxicity of carbamates, even though the sequence identity between them is only 41 %. Interestingly, we also observed that the catalytic histidines of drAChE and amAChE exhibited favorable contacts with carbofuran, suggesting that the non-covalent binding of carbofuran to these proteins may promote faster carbamylation rates than the binding modes to human and worm acetylcholinesterases. Our computational results provide a better understanding of the binding mechanisms in these complexes, as well as new insights into the mechanism of carbamylation.

Effects of the Pesticide Carbofuran on Two Species of Chlorophyceae (Desmodesmus communis and Pseudopediastrum boryanum) and Their Pesticide Bioremediation Ability

Carbofuran is one of the most toxic broad-spectrum pesticides. We evaluated the effects of carbofuran on two species of microalgae, Pseudopediastrum boryanum and Desmodesmus communis, through measurements of cell viability, biomass, chlorophyll content, and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The ability of these algae to remove carbofuran dissolved in the media was also determined. For the evaluations, both microalgae species were exposed to carbofuran (FURADAN 350 SC®) at concentrations of 100, 1000, and 10,000 µg L-1 for 7 days. Algae cell viability and chlorophyll-a concentration were not affected by the presence of carbofuran. Both species grew when exposed to the pesticide; however, the microalgae D. communis grew less than its respective control when exposed to the highest concentration (10,000 µg L-1 of carbofuran), indicating an adverse effect of the pesticide on this species. A significant increase in ROS production was observed in D. communis and P. boryanum when exposed to the highest concentration tested. The microalgae P. boryanum completely removed carbofuran in the media within 2 days, regardless of the concentration, whereas D. communis achieved the same result only after 5 days of exposure. Growth inhibition was observed only until the disappearance of carbofuran from the media. The present study suggests the use of microalgae, mainly P. boryanum, as potential tools for the remediation of environments contaminated by carbofuran because of their resistance to the insecticide and their ability to remove it rapidly from water. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;00:1-12. © 2023 SETAC.

Enhanced bioremediation of pesticides contaminated soil using organic (compost) and inorganic (NPK) fertilizers

This research examined the bioremediation of pesticides (Carbofuran and Paraquat) contaminated farmyard soil using compost and Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium (NPK) fertilizer. Microcosms representing each treatment were set-up in triplicates. Biostimulation was done using two concentrations (0.5 % and 1.0 % w/w) of NPK fertilizer and compost, following pesticides application at recommended rates [Carbofuran (1 g/kg) and Paraquat (5 ml/kg)] and four times the recommended rates. Two control soils were set-up; Abiotic control (sterile farmyard soil + pesticide) and Control (farmyard soil without treatment). Monitoring of the dynamics in microbial community abundance, and pesticide residues during the biostimulation period was done weekly for 28 days, using standard enumeration method, and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), respectively. At the end of the monitoring period, considerable reduction in pesticide residues across the treatment set-ups was recorded. In Carbofuran-treated soils, there were no complete, but considerable losses in residual pesticide, however, in most of the Paraquat-treated soils, there were complete losses within 21 days. Lower pesticide residues were recorded in set-ups amended with compost than NPK, across both Carbofuran and Paraquat-treated soils. After pesticides application, decreases in microbial counts were recorded at Day 7 across all the treatments, followed by increases from Day 14-21, then decreases at Day 28. Microbial counts were lower in Carbofuran than in Paraquat-treated soils irrespective of nutrient (compost and NPK) amendments. Bacterial and fungal counts were in the magnitude of 106 and 105 CFU/g soil, respectively. Also, increased counts were recorded for Actinomycetes, Nitrifiers, Phosphate solubilizers across all treatments, and were in magnitude of 103-104 CFU/g soil. Soil microorganisms could breakdown and eliminate large concentrations of Carbofuran and Paraquat in compost-amended soils than in NPK-amended soils. This study suggests that bioremediation of pesticides contaminated soils can be achieved and enhanced by stimulating the indigenous microbial community with requisite nutrients (compost).

Microbiology and Biochemistry of Pesticides Biodegradation

Pesticides are chemicals used in agriculture, forestry, and, to some extent, public health. As effective as they can be, due to the limited biodegradability and toxicity of some of them, they can also have negative environmental and health impacts. Pesticide biodegradation is important because it can help mitigate the negative effects of pesticides. Many types of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and algae, can degrade pesticides; microorganisms are able to bioremediate pesticides using diverse metabolic pathways where enzymatic degradation plays a crucial role in achieving chemical transformation of the pesticides. The growing concern about the environmental and health impacts of pesticides is pushing the industry of these products to develop more sustainable alternatives, such as high biodegradable chemicals. The degradative properties of microorganisms could be fully exploited using the advances in genetic engineering and biotechnology, paving the way for more effective bioremediation strategies, new technologies, and novel applications. The purpose of the current review is to discuss the microorganisms that have demonstrated their capacity to degrade pesticides and those categorized by the World Health Organization as important for the impact they may have on human health. A comprehensive list of microorganisms is presented, and some metabolic pathways and enzymes for pesticide degradation and the genetics behind this process are discussed. Due to the high number of microorganisms known to be capable of degrading pesticides and the low number of metabolic pathways that are fully described for this purpose, more research must be conducted in this field, and more enzymes and genes are yet to be discovered with the possibility of finding more efficient metabolic pathways for pesticide biodegradation.

Inter-species differences between humans and other mammals in the in vitro metabolism of carbofuran and the role of human CYP enzymes

This study investigated the metabolic transformation of carbofuran in seven species of mammals using LC-MS/MS and liver microsomes. The results revealed species-specific differences in metabolite formation, indicating the potential role of metabolic pathways in toxicity and risk assessment. The majority of carbofuran was metabolized through the 3-hydroxycarbofuran pathway, with the highest levels observed in dogLM and the lowest in humanLM. Further analysis was conducted to investigate the human cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism of carbofuran, with CYP3A4 being found to be the most efficient enzyme with the highest contribution to the 3-hydroxycarbofuran pathway. Inhibition of CYP3A4 with ketoconazole resulted in a substantial decrease in carbofuran metabolism. In addition, carbofuran exhibited inhibitory effects on human CYP3A4 and CYP2B6, demonstrating the potential for carbofuran to interact with these enzymes. The findings highlight the importance of in vitro screening for metabolic processes and provide insights into the biotransformation of carbofuran.

Microbial exopolysaccharide: Sources, stress conditions, properties and application in food and environment: A comprehensive review

Microbial glucan or exopolysaccharides (EPS) have caught an eye of researchers from decades. The unique characteristics of EPS make it suitable for various food and environmental applications. This review overviews the different types of exopolysaccharides, sources, stress conditions, properties, characterization techniques and applications in food and environment. The yield and production condition of EPS is a major factor affecting the cost and its applications. Stress conditions are very important as it stimulates the microorganism for enhanced EPS production and affects its properties. As far as application is concerned specific properties of EPS such as, hydrophilicity, less oil uptake behavior, film forming ability, adsorption potential have applications in both food and environment sector. Novel and improved method of production, feed stock and right choice of microorganisms with stress conditions are critical for desired functionality and yield of the EPS.

Bioremediation of multifarious pollutants using laccase immobilized on magnetized and carbonyldiimidazole-functionalized cellulose nanofibers

An easily recyclable biocatalyst (Lac@CDI-MCNFs) was synthesized by immobilizing laccase on rice straw-derived carbonyldiimidazole mediated magnetized cellulose nanofibers (MCNFs). Lac@CDI-MCNFs were utilized for bioremediation of cefixime antibiotic (CT), carbofuran pesticide (CF) and safranin O dye (SO) via oxidation-reduction reactions in wastewater. MCNFs provided enhanced pH, temperature and storage stability to laccase and allowed reusability for up to 25 cycles with mere 20 % decline in efficacy. The Lac@CDI-MCNFs effectively degraded 98.2 % CT and 96.8 % CF into benign metabolites within 20 h and completely degraded SO in just 7 h. Response surface modelling (RSM) was employed based on the Box Behnken Design to evaluate the effect of various parameters i.e. pH, catalyst dosage and the pollutants concentration which was further validated with experimental studies. The degradation products were identified using LCMS, which allowed the degradation pathway of the pollutants to be determined. The degradation of all pollutants followed first- order kinetics with rate constants of 0.1775, 0.0832 and 0.958 h^-1 and half-life of 3.9, 5.0 and 0.723 h for CT, CF and SO, respectively. Lac@CDI-MCNFs was demonstrated to be an effective catalyst for the degradation of multifarious pollutants.

A review: Manganese-driven bioprocess for simultaneous removal of nitrogen and organic contaminants from polluted waters

Water pollutants, such as nitrate and organics have received much attention for their harms to ecological environment and human health. The redox transformation between Mn(Ⅱ) and Mn(Ⅳ) for nitrogen and organics removal have been recognized for a long time. Mn(Ⅱ) can act as inorganic electron donor to drive autotrophic denitrification so as to realize simultaneous removal of Mn(Ⅱ), nitrate and organic pollutants. Mn oxides (MnOx) also play an important role in the adsorption and degradation of some organic contaminants and they can change or create new oxidation pathways in the nitrogen cycle. Herein, this paper provides a comprehensive review of nitrogen and organic contaminants removal pathways through applying Mn(Ⅱ) or MnOx as forerunners. The main current knowledge, developments and applications, pollutants removal efficiency, as well as microbiology and biochemistry mechanisms are summarized. Also reviewed the effects of factors such as the carbon source, the environmental factors and operation conditions have on the process. Research gaps and application potential are further proposed and discussed. Overall, Mn-based biotechnology towards advanced wastewater treatment has a promising prospect, which can achieve simultaneous removal of nitrogen and organic contaminants, and minimize sludge production.

Effective Usage of Biochar and Microorganisms for the Removal of Heavy Metal Ions and Pesticides

The bioremediation of heavy metal ions and pesticides is both cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Microbial remediation is considered superior to conventional abiotic remediation processes, due to its cost-effectiveness, decrement of biological and chemical sludge, selectivity toward specific metal ions, and high removal efficiency in dilute effluents. Immobilization technology using biochar as a carrier is one important approach for advancing microbial remediation. This article provides an overview of biochar-based materials, including their design and production strategies, physicochemical properties, and applications as adsorbents and support for microorganisms. Microorganisms that can cope with the various heavy metal ions and/or pesticides that enter the environment are also outlined in this review. Pesticide and heavy metal bioremediation can be influenced by microbial activity, pollutant bioavailability, and environmental factors, such as pH and temperature. Furthermore, by elucidating the interaction mechanisms, this paper summarizes the microbe-mediated remediation of heavy metals and pesticides. In this review, we also compile and discuss those works focusing on the study of various bioremediation strategies utilizing biochar and microorganisms and how the immobilized bacteria on biochar contribute to the improvement of bioremediation strategies. There is also a summary of the sources and harmful effects of pesticides and heavy metals. Finally, based on the research described above, this study outlines the future scope of this field.

Mechanism of Cr(VI) reduction by an indigenous Rhizobium pusense CR02 isolated from chromite mining quarry water (CMQW) at Sukinda Valley, India

Toxicological assessment of CMQW generated due to chromite mining activities at Sukinda Valley has revealed high chromium contamination along with Zn and Fe. The present study focused on the mechanism of chromate reduction by an indigenous multi-metal tolerant bacterium, Rhizobium pusense CR02, isolated from CMQW. The isolated strain has shown resistance up to 520 mg/L of Cr(VI) with an IC50 value of 385.4 mg/L. The highest reduction rate 8.6 × 10^-2/h was recorded with 20 mg/L of initial concentration of Cr(VI). Extracellular (3.06 ± 0.012 U/mL), intracellular (3.60 ± 0.13 U/mL), and membrane (1.89 ± 0.01 U/mL) associated chromate reductases were found to be involved for reduction. The extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) produced by the isolate also enhanced reduction activity of 46.32 ± 1.69 mg/L after 72 h with an initial concentration of 50 mg/L. FTIR analysis revealed the involvement of functional groups -OH, -CO, and -NH for Cr(VI) biosorption whereas P=O, -CO-NH- and -COOH interacted with Cr(III). Zeta potential with less negative surface charge favored reduction of Cr(VI). Treatment of CMQW by bacterial isolate detoxified Cr(VI) minimizing chromosomal aberrations in root cells of Allium cepa L., suggesting the role of Rhizobium pusense CR02 as a promising bio-agent for Cr(VI) detoxification.

Bacterial redox response factors in the management of environmental oxidative stress

Bacteria evolved to survive in the available environmental chemosphere via several cellular mechanisms. A rich pool of antioxidants and stress regulators plays a significant role in the survival of bacteria in unfavorable environmental conditions. Most of the microbes exhibit resistant phenomena in toxic environment niches. Naturally, bacteria possess efficient thioredoxin reductase, glutaredoxin, and peroxiredoxin redox systems to handle environmental oxidative stress. Further, an array of transcriptional regulators senses the oxidative stress conditions. Transcription regulators, such as OxyR, SoxRS, PerR, UspA, SsrB, MarA, OhrR, SarZ, etc., sense and transduce bacterial oxidative stress responses. The redox-sensitive transcription regulators continuously recycle the utilized antioxidant enzymes during oxidative stress. These regulators promote the expression of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxides that overcome oxidative insults. Therefore, the transcriptional regulations maintain steady-state activities of antioxidant enzymes representing the resistance against host cell/environmental oxidative insults. Further, the redox system provides reducing equivalents to synthesize biomolecules, thereby contributing to cellular repair mechanisms. The inactive transcriptional regulators in the undisturbed cells are activated by oxidative stress. The oxidized transcriptional regulators modulate the expression of antioxidant and cellular repair enzymes to survive in extreme environmental conditions. Therefore, targeting these antioxidant systems and response regulators could alter cellular redox homeostasis. This review presents the mechanisms of different redox systems that favor bacterial survival in extreme environmental oxidative stress conditions.

Inoculation with carbofuran-degrading rhizobacteria promotes maize growth through production of IAA and regulation of the release of plant-specialized metabolites

Toxic residues of the insecticide carbofuran in farmland is an urgent problem, and high concentrations of carbofuran have been found in the rhizoshperic soil of maize treated with seed coating agents 120-180 days after planting. Using an enrichment co-culture method, we identify a bacterial strain obtained from these carbofuran-contaminated rhizosphere soils as Leclercia adecarboxylata MCH-1. This strain exhibited a significant ability to degrade both carbofuran and 3-keto carbofuran, with total degradation of 55.6 ± 4.6% and 75.7 ± 3.4%, respectively, 24 h following start of co-culture. Further activity screening revealed that the inoculation of maize roots with L. adecarboxylata MCH-1 promoted maize seedling growth. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that this bacterial strain had the ability to synthesize the phytohormone IAA. Simultaneously, the concentration of IAA in the rhizospheric soil increased following inoculation of maize roots with L. adecarboxylata MCH-1. Moreover, the concentrations of plant specialized metabolites, including phenolics, terpenoids, and alkaloids, decreased in maize seedlings and were elevated in the rhizospheric soil after maize roots had been inoculated with the MCH-1 strain. Interestingly, the growth of the strain MCH-1 was improved by co-culture with root exudates obtained from the rhizospheric soil, specifically 3-hydroxybenzoic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, and zealexin A₁ (ZA₁). Taken together, our results suggest that the carbofuran-degrading rhizobacterium L. adecarboxylata MCH-1 is able to interact with maize plants through the regulation of maize root exudates. Moreover, inoculation with L. adecarboxylata MCH-1 promotes maize growth through the production of IAA and regulation of the release of plant specialized metabolites. Our results provide a new model organism for the remediation of farmland soils from pollution with carbofuran residues.

Comparative Genomic Analysis of Carbofuran-Degrading Sphingomonads Reveals the Carbofuran Catabolism Mechanism in Sphingobium sp. Strain CFD-1

Owing to the extensive use of carbofuran over the past 50 years, bacteria have evolved catabolic pathways to mineralize this insecticide, which plays an important role in eliminating carbofuran residue in the environment. In this study, the cfd gene cluster, responsible for the catabolism of carbofuran phenol, was predicted by comparing sphingomonad genomes.

Assessing the effect of multiple variables on the production of bioflocculant by Serratia marcescens: Flocculating activity, kinetics, toxicity, and flocculation mechanism

Bioflocculants gain attention as alternatives to chemical flocculants because they are more environmentally friendly and highly biodegradable. This study aims to improve the bioflocculant production by Serratia marcescens using one-variable-at-a-time (OVAT) analysis and analyze its flocculating activity performance, toxicity, and the flocculation mechanism. The effect of multiple variables including initial inoculum size, pH, mixing speed, temperature, growth medium, and incubation period was assessed through OVAT. Flocculating activity was then determined via jar test analysis, and toxicity test was performed using Daphnia magna and Daphnia pulex. The flocculation mechanism was determined via particle size distribution and zeta potential analysis. The optimum conditions for the improved bioflocculant production were as follows: 10% v/v initial inoculum size, pH 7, mixing speed of 150 rpm, room temperature, nutrient broth medium, and 72 h of incubation period. Scanning electron microscopy showed flake-like intact structure with coarse surface. The produced bioflocculant showed flocculating activity of 48% in 5227 ± 580 NTU initial kaolin turbidity with 1 mg/L concentration and 5% v/v dosage of bioflocculant, following the second-order kinetics. Toxicity test to D. magna and D. pulex showed the 48 h LC₅₀ values of 8.06 and 6.42 g/L, respectively; these values are greatly higher than the fabricated chemical flocculants. The flocculation process using bioflocculant produced by S. marcescens was suggested to occur via bridging mechanism because it greatly affected the particle size distribution. Results indicated that bioflocculant produced by S. marcescens is much environmentally friendly and has great potential for turbidity removal in water/wastewater.

Microbial Diversity and Adaptation under Salt-Affected Soils: A Review

The salinization of soil is responsible for the reduction in the growth and development of plants. As the global population increases day by day, there is a decrease in the cultivation of farmland due to the salinization of soil, which threatens food security. Salt-affected soils occur all over the world, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. The total area of global salt-affected soil is 1 billion ha, and in India, an area of nearly 6.74 million ha−1 is salt-stressed, out of which 2.95 million ha−1 are saline soil (including coastal) and 3.78 million ha−1 are alkali soil. The rectification and management of salt-stressed soils require specific approaches for sustainable crop production. Remediating salt-affected soil by chemical, physical and biological methods with available resources is recommended for agricultural purposes. Bioremediation is an eco-friendly approach compared to chemical and physical methods. The role of microorganisms has been documented by many workers for the bioremediation of such problematic soils. Halophilic Bacteria, Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Cyanobacteria, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and microbial inoculation have been found to be effective for plant growth promotion under salt-stress conditions. The microbial mediated approaches can be adopted for the mitigation of salt-affected soil and help increase crop productivity. A microbial product consisting of beneficial halophiles maintains and enhances the soil health and the yield of the crop in salt-affected soil. This review will focus on the remediation of salt-affected soil by using microorganisms and their mechanisms in the soil and interaction with the plants.

A review on advances in removal of endocrine disrupting compounds from aquatic matrices: Future perspectives on utilization of agri-waste based adsorbents

In the recent past, a class of emerging contaminants particularly endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in the aquatic environment have gained a lot of attention. This is due to their toxic behaviour, affecting endocrine activities in humans as well as among aquatic animals. Presently, there are no regulations and discharge limits for EDCs to preclude their negative impact. Furthermore, the conventional treatment processes fail to remove EDCs efficiently. This necessitates the need for more research aimed at development of advanced alternative treatment methods which are economical, efficient, and sustainable. This paper focusses on the occurrence, fate, toxicity, and various treatment processes for removal of EDCs. The treatment processes (physical, chemical, biological and hybrid) have been comprehensively studied highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, the use of agri-waste based adsorption technologies has been reviewed. The aim of this review article is to understand the prospect of application of agri-waste based adsorbents for efficient removal of EDCs. Interestingly, research findings have indicated that the use of these low-cost and abundantly available agri-waste based adsorbents can efficiently remove the EDCs. Furthermore, the challenges and future perspectives on the use of agri-waste based adsorbents have been discussed.

Biosynthesis of exopolysaccharide from waste molasses using Pantoea sp. BCCS 001 GH: a kinetic and optimization study

The bacterium Pantoea sp. BCCS 001 GH produces an exopolysaccharide (EPS) named Pantoan through using sugar beet molasses (SBM) as an inexpensive and widely available carbon source. This study aims to investigate the kinetics and optimization of the Pantoan biosynthesis using Pantoea sp. BCCS 001 GH in submerged culture. During kinetics studies, the logistic model and Luedeking–Piret equation are precisely fit with the obtained experimental data. The response surface methodology (RSM)-central composite design (CCD) method is applied to evaluate the effects of four factors (SBM, peptone, Na₂HPO₄, and Triton X-100) on the concentration of Pantoan in batch culture of Pantoea sp. BCCS 001 GH. The experimental and predicted maximum Pantoan production yields are found 9.9 ± 0.5 and 10.30 g/L, respectively, and the best prediction factor concentrations are achieved at 31.5 g/L SBM, 2.73 g/L peptone, 3 g/L Na₂HPO_4, and 0.32 g/L Triton X-100 after 48 h of submerged culture fermentation, at 30 °C. The functional groups and major monosaccharides (glucose and galactose) of a purified Pantoan are described and confirmed by ¹HNMR and FTIR. The produced Pantoan is also characterized by thermogravimetric analysis and the rheological properties of the biopolymer are investigated. The present work guides the design and optimization of the Pantoea sp. BCCS 001 GH culture media, to be fine-tuned and applied to invaluable EPS, which can be applicable in food and biotechnology applications.

Biogeochemical profiling and taxonomic characterization of municipal landfill site by metagenomic sequencing

Most of the discarded waste material paves their way to the utmost common dumping grounds, Landfills. Despite their widespread use, the landfill microbiomes are still not well characterized. Metagenomics approach provides insight into the identification of operational parameters influencing the microbiome composition and their biodegradation competencies. The metagenomic DNA was prepared to explore taxonomical community structure, phylogenetic relationships, and functional profile at the same time. A total of 100,021,052 high-quality filtered reads were acquired with a GC abundance of 62.59%. Taxonomical abundance revealed the dominance of phylum Proteobacteria and genes involved in biomolecules metabolism, aromatic compound degradation, stress tolerance, xenobiotic biodegradation etc. were revealed functionally. The intricate heterogeneous environment of landfill revealed well flourished biogeochemical metabolic profiles including nitrogen metabolism. This is the first study for the generated metagenome of Ghazipur landfill and the obtained results propose that microbial communities in landfill settings are far more intricate than expected. It remain mostly unexplored which demands the usage of multiple platforms for a better understanding.

Effect of Mn2+ on the phosphorus removal and bioflocculation under anoxic condition

Manganese ion (Mn²⁺) generated from metallurgical, steel making and chemical industries enters sewage treatment plants and affects the sludge activity and flocculation. The effect of Mn²⁺ on the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total phosphorus (TP) and sludge activity were investigated in anoxic zone of an anaerobic/anoxic/oxic (A²O) process. The compositions and structures of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) were characterized using three-dimensional excitation emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy (3D-EEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to reveal the relationship among Mn²⁺, EPS and sludge flocculation. The results showed that low concentration of Mn²⁺ (<5 mg/L) improved removal efficiencies of COD and TP and increased the activity of alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase and dehydrogenase. Meanwhile, the addition of Mn²⁺ increased total EPS, sludge contact angle, Zeta potential and sludge particle size, and thus enhanced sludge flocculation. However, high concentration of Mn²⁺ (>10 mg/L) hindered microbial flocculation and reduced removal efficiencies of the pollutants. When Mn²⁺was 5 mg/L, removal efficiencies of COD and TP reached 65% and 90%, respectively. Sludge flocculation was the best and SVI was 70.56 mL/g. The changes of Mn²⁺ concentration caused deviation of groups' compositions in LB-EPS and TB-EPS, where the main components were always protein (PN) and polysaccharide (PS). The addition of Mn²⁺ resulted in the degradation of humic acids. However, it did not give rise to significant morphology changes of EPS.

Mechanistic Insights of Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria Mediated Drought and Salt Stress Tolerance in Plants for Sustainable Agriculture

Climate change has devastating effects on plant growth and yield. During ontogenesis, plants are subjected to a variety of abiotic stresses, including drought and salinity, affecting the crop loss (20-50%) and making them vulnerable in terms of survival. These stresses lead to the excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that damage nucleic acid, proteins, and lipids. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) have remarkable capabilities in combating drought and salinity stress and improving plant growth, which enhances the crop productivity and contributes to food security. PGPB inoculation under abiotic stresses promotes plant growth through several modes of actions, such as the production of phytohormones, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase, exopolysaccharide, siderophore, hydrogen cyanide, extracellular polymeric substances, volatile organic compounds, modulate antioxidants defense machinery, and abscisic acid, thereby preventing oxidative stress. These bacteria also provide osmotic balance; maintain ion homeostasis; and induce drought and salt-responsive genes, metabolic reprogramming, provide transcriptional changes in ion transporter genes, etc. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the effects of PGPB on drought and salinity stress to mitigate its detrimental effects. Furthermore, we also discuss the mechanistic insights of PGPB towards drought and salinity stress tolerance for sustainable agriculture.

Screening of Carbofuran-Degrading Bacteria Chryseobacterium sp. BSC2-3 and Unveiling the Change in Metabolome during Carbofuran Degradation

Carbofuran is one of the most commonly used N-methylcarbamate-based pesticides and is excellent for controlling pests; however, carbofuran also causes soil and water pollution. Although various studies have been conducted on the bioremediation of pesticide-contaminated soil, the changes occurring in the metabolome during the bioremediation of carbofuran are not fully understood. In this study, the intracellular and extracellular metabolites of the Chryseobacterium sp. BSC2-3 strain were analysed during carbofuran degradation by using a liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry-based metabolomics approach. We found that the BSC2-3 strain extracellularly transformed carbofuran into 3-hydroxycarbofuran. Intracellular metabolite analysis revealed that carbofuran mainly affected aminobenzoate degradation, ubiquinone and terpenoid-quinone biosynthesis, and arginine and proline metabolism. Carbofuran especially affected the metabolic pathway for the degradation of naphthalene and aminobenzoate. Metabolomics additionally revealed that the strain produces disease resistance inducers and plant growth regulators. We also identified the genes involved in the production of indole-3-acetic acid, which is one of the most active auxins. Overall, we identified the metabolic changes induced in carbofuran-degrading bacteria and the genes predicted to be responsible for the degradation of carbofuran.

The Potential Binding Interaction and Hydrolytic Mechanism of Carbaryl with the Novel Esterase PchA in Pseudomonas sp. PS21

Microbial bioremediation is a very potent and eco-friendly approach to alleviate pesticide pollution in agricultural ecosystems, and hydrolase is an effective element for contaminant degradation. In the present study, a novel Mn²⁺-dependent esterase, PchA, that efficiently hydrolyzes carbamate pesticides with aromatic structures was identified from Pseudomonas sp. PS21. The hydrolytic activity was confirmed to be related closely to the core catalytic domain, which consists of six residues. The crucial residues indirectly stabilized the position of carbaryl via chelating Mn²⁺ according to the binding model clarified by molecular simulations, and the additional hydrophobic interactions between carbaryl with several hydrophobic residues also stabilized the binding conformation. The residue Glu398, by serving as the general base, might activate a water molecule and facilitate PchA catalysis. This work offers valuable insights into the binding interaction and hydrolytic mechanism of carbaryl with the hydrolase PchA and will be crucial to designing strategies leading to the protein variants that are capable of degrading related contaminants.

Carbon source type can affect tetracycline removal by Pseudomonas sp. TC952 through regulation of extracellular polymeric substances composition and production

The objective of this work is to elucidate the mechanism of tetracycline (TC) removal by Pseudomonas sp. TC952. The TC removal characteristics of strain TC952 under various environmental conditions were studied. Results showed that the bio-removal efficiency was significantly affected by initial TC and peptone concentration, pH values, divalent metal ion (Zn²⁺) and carbon source, and the strain TC952 efficiently removed approximately 72.8% of TC within 6 days with 10 g/L peptone. The best conditions for strain TC952 to remove TC are as follows: initial TC concentration is 50 mg/L, solution initial pH is 7, Zn²⁺ concentration is 0.1 μg/L, carbon source is peptone. And through intra- and extracellular fractions assay and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) component analysis, TC removal by strain TC952 was mainly attributed to the adsorption by bacterial EPS and bacterial cell. Furthermore, different carbon source affected the EPS production content and component of strain TC952, so EPS produced under peptone and serine conditions could bio-adsorb TC and formed a buffer area outside the cells, thus reducing or preventing TC from entering the bacteria cells. All the results obtained showed that secretion of EPS and adsorption of TC by EPS and bacterial cell wall may be a common way for bacteria to reduce TC in the environment, which brought novel insights for better management of TC contamination by functional bacteria and for understanding the natural removal process of antibiotics by microorganisms in the environment.

Microbe mediated remediation of dyes, explosive waste and polyaromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides and pharmaceuticals

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Environmental pollutants dyes, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, explosive waste and polyaromatic hydrocarbons.

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Environmental pollutants toxicity.

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Possible microbial biodegradation pathways of environmental pollutants.

Industrialization and human activities have led to serious effects on environment. With the progress taking place in the biodegradation field, it is important to summarize the latest advancement. In this review, we intend to provide insights on the recent progress on the biodegradation of environmental contaminants such as dyes, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, explosive waste and polyaromatic hydrocarbons by microorganisms. Along with the biodegradation of environmental contaminants, toxicity effects have also been discussed.

The mechanisms of struvite biomineralization in municipal wastewater

The mechanisms of struvite production by biomineralization were investigated for five microorganisms (Bacillus pumilus, Brevibacterium antiquum, Myxococcus xanthus, Halobacterium salinarum and Idiomarina loihiensis) in municipal wastewater. The microbial exponential phase of growth occurred within the first 48 h of incubation, with growth rates varying from 0.02-0.08 1/h. These five microorganisms removed 23-27 mg/L (66-79%) of ortho-phosphate from wastewater, which was recovered as biological struvite (i.e., bio-struvite) identified by morphological, X-ray diffraction and elemental analysis. Bio-struvite crystals occurred in a low extracellular supersaturation index (0.6-0.8 units). Bio-struvite formation in B. pumilus M. xanthus, H. salinarum cultures was linked to biologically induced mineralization. Whereas B. antiquum and I. loihiensis produced bio-struvite through biologically controlled mineralization mechanism because the crystals presented homogeneity in morphology and size, and intracellular vesicle-like cell structures were observed enclosing electron-dense granules/materials. Nutrient recovery through biomineralization has potential application in wastewater streams promoting circularity within the wastewater industry.

An old story with new insights into an ignored issue of metabolites in biochar-amended soil: Effect of biochar on dissipation of carbosulfan as an example

Carbofuran (CAS) is one of extensively used carbamate pesticides, which is considered as a derivative or a candidate of carbofuran (CAN) for its lower toxicity and persistence. Nevertheless, CAS could be degraded into its toxic metabolites, imposing potential risks on ecological safety. In this paper, biochars, derived from rice straw (RS), chicken manure (CM), corn straw (CS) and tire rubber (TR), were applied in CAS-contaminated soil to explore their effects on the dissipation of CAS and its metabolites. The dissipation rate of CAS was depressed by the amendment of biochar, mainly because biochar inhibited the hydrolysis of CAS by elevating soil pH value. Nevertheless, CS has efficiently enhanced the dissipation of CAN by almost 2-times for its promotion in hydrolysis and biodegradation. CS and CM improved biodegradation by altering the composition and structure of the microbial communities, exhibiting potential for facilitating bioremediation of CAS and CAN. Moreover, steam activated biochar accelerated the dissipation rate by 1.7-2.9 times and 1.3-2.4 times for CAS and CAN, respectively. This study investigated the effects of biochar on CAS and its toxic metabolites as well as possible governing mechanisms, providing rational instruction for biochar application in ambient atmosphere.

Integrated analysis of Whole genome sequencing and life cycle assessment for polyhydroxyalkanoates production by Cupriavidus sp. ISTL7

The current study demonstrates the enhanced production capability of strain Cupriavidus sp. ISTL7 for polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) using acetate and glucose (4.93 ± 0.4571 g L^-1) which was characterised analytically by GC-MS, FTIR and NMR analysis. Whole genome sequencing of strain ISTL7 unveiled an array of PHA metabolism genes which included phaA, phaB and phaC. Life cycle assessment of the protocol established that the production was most sustainable with the carbon source acetate. + Glucose as compared to acetate/glucose alone. It also concluded that solvent extraction of PHA and energy consumption during the process requires optimization to sustain the production on ecological fronts. Additionally, acetoacetyl-CoA reductase (phaB) gene was molecularly cloned, expressed and purified (27 KDa, 2.63 mg/ml). Conclusively, Cupriavidus sp. ISTL7 is a potential strain for PHA production with a scope of improvement on energy fronts which would transform the production environmentally and economically appealing.

Insights into the microbial degradation and biochemical mechanisms of carbamates

Carbamate compounds are commonly applied in agricultural sectors as alternative options to the recalcitrant organochlorine pesticides due to their easier breakdown and less persistent nature. However, the large-scale use of carbamates also leads to toxic environmental residues, causing severe toxicity in various living systems. The toxic effects of carbamates are due to their inhibitor activity against the acetylchlolinesterase enzyme. This enzyme is crucial for neurotransmission signaling in living beings. Hence, from the environmental point of view, the elimination of carbamates is a worldwide concern and priority. Microbial technology can be deliberated as a potential tool that can work efficiently and as an ecofriendly option for the dissipation of carbamate insecticides from contaminated environments by improving biodegradation processes via metabolic activities of microorganisms. A variety of bacterial and fungal species have been isolated and characterized and are capable of degrading a broad range of carbamates in soil and water environments. In addition, microbial carbamate hydrolase genes (mcd, cehA, cahA, cfdJ, and mcbA) were strongly implicated in the evolution of new metabolic functions and carbamate hydrolase enzymes. However, the accurate localization and appropriate functions of carbamate hydrolase enzymes/genes are very limited. To explore the information on the degradation routes of carbamates and promote the application of biodegradation, a study of molecular techniques is required to unlock insights regarding the degradation specific genes and enzymes. Hence, this review discusses the deep understanding of carbamate degradation mechanisms with microbial strains, metabolic pathways, molecular mechanisms, and their genetic basis in degradation.

Conserved Metabolic and Evolutionary Themes in Microbial Degradation of Carbamate Pesticides

Carbamate pesticides are widely used as insecticides, nematicides, acaricides, herbicides and fungicides in the agriculture, food and public health sector. However, only a minor fraction of the applied quantity reaches the target organisms. The majority of it persists in the environment, impacting the non-target biota, leading to ecological disturbance. The toxicity of these compounds to biota is mediated through cholinergic and non-cholinergic routes, thereby making their clean-up cardinal. Microbes, specifically bacteria, have adapted to the presence of these compounds by evolving degradation pathways and thus play a major role in their removal from the biosphere. Over the past few decades, various genetic, metabolic and biochemical analyses exploring carbamate degradation in bacteria have revealed certain conserved themes in metabolic pathways like the enzymatic hydrolysis of the carbamate ester or amide linkage, funnelling of aryl carbamates into respective dihydroxy aromatic intermediates, C1 metabolism and nitrogen assimilation. Further, genomic and functional analyses have provided insights on mechanisms like horizontal gene transfer and enzyme promiscuity, which drive the evolution of degradation phenotype. Compartmentalisation of metabolic pathway enzymes serves as an additional strategy that further aids in optimising the degradation efficiency. This review highlights and discusses the conclusions drawn from various analyses over the past few decades; and provides a comprehensive view of the environmental fate, toxicity, metabolic routes, related genes and enzymes as well as evolutionary mechanisms associated with the degradation of widely employed carbamate pesticides. Additionally, various strategies like application of consortia for efficient degradation, metabolic engineering and adaptive laboratory evolution, which aid in improvising remediation efficiency and overcoming the challenges associated with in situ bioremediation are discussed.

Characterization and mechanism of Mn(II)-based mixotrophic denitrifying bacterium (Cupriavidus sp. HY129) in remediation of nitrate (NO3--N) and manganese (Mn(II)) contaminated groundwater

The co-contamination of groundwater with nitrate (NO₃^--N) and manganese (Mn(II)) is a global issue that needs to be efficiently remediated. In this research, a novel denitrifying and manganese-oxidizing strain HY129 was isolated from the sediments sample of a drinking water and identified as Cupriavidus sp. HY129. The remediation ability of strain HY129 regarding the nitrate and Mn(II) pollution were investigated. The removal efficiency of nitrate and Mn(II) were 99.81% (0.229 mgL^-1 h^-1) and 87.24% (0.233 mgL^-1 h^-1) in bacterial culture after 72 h, respectively. Moreover, the addition of Mn(II) significantly enhanced the denitrification process, while excessive concentration of Mn(II) caused more NO₂^--N accumulation. The impacts of adsorption and oxidation activity on Mn(II) removal were investigated. Protein in extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) which produced in the Mn-oxidizing process was speculated to be the main cause of extracellular adsorption of Mn(II). Characterization of biogenic manganese oxides (BMO) confirmed the formation of high-valent manganese and the trapping experiment with sodium pyrophosphate (NaPP) demonstrated the existence of Mn(III)-intermediates. Furthermore, multicopper oxidase gene amplification provided evidence for the molecular biology of Mn(II) oxidation by strain HY129.

Substrate preference of carbamate hydrolase CehA reveals its environmental behavior

The cehA gene is the earliest reported and most widely found carbaryl hydrolase gene. CehA detoxifies carbaryl and other carbamate pesticides via de-esterification. Currently, there is no systematic research available on substrate preference or the mechanism of CehA action in different hosts. In this study, we found that CehA from different hosts is highly conserved, with more than 99% amino acid sequence similarity, and that transposable elements exist in both the upstream and downstream regions of cehA. By introducing point mutations into the cehA gene of Sphingobium sp. CFD-1, we obtained and heterologously expressed all reported CehA(CehAS) encoding genes. Assays to determine enzymatic properties and substrate profiles of CehAS showed that each CehA has a significant substrate preference for different carbamate insecticides. Specifically, CehA152Phe/Leu determines the catalytic preference for bicyclic carbamate substrates (carbofuran, carbaryl), while CehA494Thr/Ala and 570Thr/Ile determine the preference for monocyclic carbamate substrates (isoprocarb, propoxur) and linear carbamate substrates (oxamyl, aldicarb), respectively. Considering the existence of transposable elements in the flanking regions of cehA, we speculate that the cehA hosts may have acquired the hydrolysis ability, as well as substrate preference for carbamate pesticides, through horizontal gene transfer and genetic copying errors.

Bioremediation Potential of Streptomyces sp. MOE6 for Toxic Metals and Oil

Toxic metal contamination has serious effects on human health. Crude oil that may contain toxic metals and oil spills can further contaminate the environment and lead to increased exposure. This being the case, we chose to study the bio-production of inexpensive, environmentally safe materials for remediation. Streptomyces sp. MOE6 is a Gram-positive, filamentous bacterium from soil that produces an extracellular polysaccharide (MOE6-EPS). A one-factor-at-a-time experiments showed that the maximum production of MOE6-EPS was achieved at 35 °C, pH 6, after nine days of incubation with soluble starch and yeast extract as carbon sources and the latter as the nitrogen source. We demonstrated that MOE6-EPS has the capacity to remove toxic metals such as Co(II), Cr(VI), Cu(II) and U(VI) and from solution either by chelation and/or reduction. Additionally, the bacterium was found to produce siderophores, which contribute to the removal of metals, specifically Fe(III). Additionally, purified MOE6-EPS showed emulsifying activities against various hydrophobic substances, including olive oil, corn oil, benzene, toluene and engine oil. These results indicate that EPS from Streptomyces sp. MOE6 may be useful to sequester toxic metals and oil in contaminated environments.

Integrated approach of whole-genome analysis, toxicological evaluation and life cycle assessment for pyrene biodegradation by a psychrophilic strain, Shewanella sp. ISTPL2

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as pyrene are universal contaminants existing in the environment which have known cancer-causing and mutagenic characteristics. A psychrophilic bacterial strain Shewanella sp. ISTPL2 was isolated from the sediment sample collected from the Pangong lake, Jammu & Kashmir, India. In our previous study, the pyrene degradation potential of the ISTPL2 strain was studied in both mineral salt media as well as in soil artificially spiked with different concentrations of pyrene. Whole-genome sequencing of ISTPL2 strain in the current study highlighted the key genes of pyrene metabolism, including alcohol dehydrogenase and ring hydroxylating dioxygenase alpha-subunit. Pyrene cytotoxicity was evaluated on HepG2, a human hepato-carcinoma cell line. The cytotoxicity of the organic extract decreased with the increasing duration of bacterial treatment. To develop a more sustainable biodegradation approach, the potential impacts were evaluated for human health and ecosystem using life-cycle assessment (LCA) following the ReCiPe methodology for the considered PAH. The results implemented that global warming potential (GWP) had the highest impact, whereas both ecotoxicity and human toxicity had least from this study.

Genomic insights into waste valorized extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) produced by Bacillus sp. ISTL8

The present study discusses the genomic analysis of Bacillus sp. ISTL8 along with the production of EPS (Extracellular polymeric substances) using carbofuran, a toxic carbamate pesticide. Bacillus strain was isolated from landfill soil and evaluated for high growth rates and EPS production. One strain, renamed ISTL8 grew on a broad range of carbon sources, including toxic carbofuran, while producing copious EPS. Growth assays verified the strain to be thermophilic, low salt tolerant, and with a preference for neutral pH. SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) was used for morphological characterization of the EPS while the monomeric composition, bonding patterns and functional groups were deduced by GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry), ¹H and ¹³C NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) and FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy). The production of EPS using carbofuran (carbamate pesticide) as a carbon source was found to be 6.20 ± 0.29 g L^-1 containing 61.17% w/w carbohydrates, 29.72% w/w proteins and 6.11% w/w lipids (of dry EPS). The potential cytotoxicity of EPS was evaluated with 3- (4,5-dimethyl thiazol-2-Yl) -2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and found non-toxic (2.25%). WGS (Whole genome sequencing) was performed for the strain Bacillus sp. ISTL8 producing EPS; an array of genes putatively involved in the EPS production were identified in several different genomic locations, guiding potential genetic manipulation studies in the future. The results highlight the potency of a bacterial isolate Bacillus sp. ISTL8 to produce non-cytotoxic EPS using carbofuran that can be further harnessed for environmental and commercial applications. Additionally, WGS revealed an array of EPS specific genes which can be effectively engineered for much enhanced production.

Carbamate C-N Hydrolase Gene ameH Responsible for the Detoxification Step of Methomyl Degradation in Aminobacter aminovorans Strain MDW-2

Methomyl {bis[1-methylthioacetaldehyde-O-(N-methylcarbamoyl)oximino]sulfide} is a highly toxic oxime carbamate insecticide. Several methomyl-degrading microorganisms have been reported so far, but the role of specific enzymes and genes in this process is still unexplored. In this study, a protein annotated as a carbamate C-N hydrolase was identified in the methomyl-degrading strain Aminobacter aminovorans MDW-2, and the encoding gene was termed ameH A comparative analysis between the mass fingerprints of AmeH and deduced proteins of the strain MDW-2 genome revealed AmeH to be a key enzyme of the detoxification step of methomyl degradation. The results also demonstrated that AmeH was a functional homodimer with a subunit molecular mass of approximately 34 kDa and shared the highest identity (27%) with the putative formamidase from Schizosaccharomyces pombe ATCC 24843. AmeH displayed maximal enzymatic activity at 50°C and pH 8.5. K_m and k _cat of AmeH for methomyl were 87.5 μM and 345.2 s^-1, respectively, and catalytic efficiency (k _cat/K_m ) was 3.9 μM^-1 s^-1 Phylogenetic analysis revealed AmeH to be a member of the FmdA_AmdA superfamily. Additionally, five key amino acid residues (162, 164, 191, 193, and 207) of AmeH were identified by amino acid variations.IMPORTANCE Based on the structural characteristic, carbamate insecticides can be classified into oxime carbamates (methomyl, aldicarb, oxamyl, etc.) and N-methyl carbamates (carbaryl, carbofuran, isoprocarb, etc.). So far, research on the degradation of carbamate pesticides has mainly focused on the detoxification step and hydrolysis of their carbamate bond. Several genes, such as cehA, mcbA, cahA, and mcd, and their encoding enzymes have also been reported to be involved in the detoxification step. However, none of these enzymes can hydrolyze methomyl. In this study, a carbamate C-N hydrolase gene, ameH, responsible for the detoxification step of methomyl in strain MDW-2 was cloned and the key amino acid sites of AmeH were investigated. These findings provide insight into the microbial degradation mechanism of methomyl.

Biosorption of Cr (VI) from aqueous solution by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) produced by Parapedobacter sp. ISTM3 strain isolated from Mawsmai cave, Meghalaya, India

In the current study, EPS producing strain Parapedobacter sp. ISTM3 was isolated from Mawsmai cave, Meghalaya, India. The strain ISTM3 showed enhanced EPS production (4.65 ± 0.10 g L^-1) at optimized parameters, i.e., pH 8 and 3% molasses as a carbon source. The extracted EPS was structurally characterized by GC-MS, NMR, and FTIR analysis to investigate its monomer compositions, functional groups, and linkage analysis. GC-MS study confirmed the heteropolymeric nature of EPS, whereas the FTIR study confirmed the presence of an aliphatic group, amine group, uronic acid, and saccharides group in the EPS structure. Biosorption of heavy metals by EPS from an aqueous solution was investigated by using heavy metals mixture (Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cr⁶⁺, Fe^2+, and Cd²⁺) with 20 mg L^-1 concentration of each metal. EPS showed the highest removal efficiency and metal adsorption capability for Cr⁶⁺ as compared to other heavy metals studied. Also, metal adsorption capability (19.032 mg g^-1) and removal efficiency (95.10%) of Cr⁶⁺ by EPS were further increased in acidic conditions (pH 5.0). FTIR and SEM-EDX analysis confirmed the biosorption mechanism of EPS. The Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherms were employed to discover the biosorption parameters for Cr⁶⁺ uptake with a concentration range of 10-200 mg L^-1 by EPS (1 g L^-1). The Langmuir model was found to better fit the Cr⁶⁺ adsorption by EPS having a maximum adsorption capacity of 33.783 mg g^-1. With this, the present study highlights the EPS production potential of Parapedobacter sp. ISTM3, as well as the potential of extracted EPS for heavy metals removals via adsorption.

Carbofuran toxicity and its microbial degradation in contaminated environments

Carbofuran is one of the most toxic broad-spectrum and systemic N-methyl carbamate pesticide, which is extensively applied as insecticide, nematicide and acaricide for agricultural, domestic and industrial purposes. It is extremely lethal to mammals, birds, fish and wildlife due to its anticholinesterase activity, which inhibits acetyl-cholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterse activity. In humans, carbofuran is associated with endocrine disrupting activity, reproductive disorders, cytotoxic and genotoxic abnormalities. Therefore, cleanup of carbofuran-contaminated environments is of utmost concern and urgently needs an adequate, advanced and effective remedial technology. Microbial technology (bacterial, fugal and algal species) is a very potent, pragmatic and ecofriendly approach for the removal of carbofuran. Microbial enzymes and their catabolic genes exhibit an exceptional potential for bioremediation strategies. To understand the specific mechanism of carbofuran degradation and involvement of carbofuran hydrolase enzymes and genes, highly efficient genomic approaches are required to provide reliable information and unfold metabolic pathways. This review briefly discusses the carbofuran toxicity and its toxicological impact into the environment, in-depth understanding of carbofuran degradation mechanism with microbial strains, metabolic pathways, molecular mechanisms and genetic basis involved in degradation.

Plant-Growth-Promoting Bacteria Mitigating Soil Salinity Stress in Plants

Soil deterioration has led to problems with the nutrition of the world’s population. As one of the most serious stressors, soil salinization has a negative effect on the quantity and quality of agricultural production, drawing attention to the need for environmentally friendly technologies to overcome the adverse effects. The use of plant-growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) can be a key factor in reducing salinity stress in plants as they are already introduced in practice. Plants having halotolerant PGPB in their root surroundings improve in diverse morphological, physiological, and biochemical aspects due to their multiple plant-growth-promoting traits. These beneficial effects are related to the excretion of bacterial phytohormones and modulation of their expression, improvement of the availability of soil nutrients, and the release of organic compounds that modify plant rhizosphere and function as signaling molecules, thus contributing to the plant’s salinity tolerance. This review aims to elucidate mechanisms by which PGPB are able to increase plant tolerance under soil salinity.

Effects of exogenous N-acyl-homoserine lactones on nutrient removal, sludge properties and microbial community structures during activated sludge process

This study investigated the effects of exogenous N-acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) signal molecules, N-hexanoyl-_l-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL) and N-octanoyl-_l-homoserine lactone (C8-HSL), on treatment performance, sludge properties and microbial community structures in activated sludge systems. Results showed that the nitrification and denitrification efficiencies were enhanced with the addition of signal molecules. The particle size, irregularity, and internal mass transfer resistance of activated sludge flocs (ASFs) increased, primarily because dosing AHLs led to a content increase and chemical composition variation of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in sludge. Microbial analysis indicated an increase in both the bacterial richness and diversity of the systems. The relative abundances of the key functional groups, including bacteria related to C and N removal and EPS production, varied correspondingly. This study presents an insight into the comprehensive understanding of the effects of AHL-based quorum sensing on activated sludge treatment process.

Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria: Biological Tools for the Mitigation of Salinity Stress in Plants

Salinity stress is one of the major abiotic stresses threatening sustainable crop production worldwide. The extent of salinity affected area is expected to cover about 50% of total agricultural land by 2050. Salinity stress produces various detrimental effects on plants’ physiological, biochemical, and molecular features and reduces productivity. The poor plant growth under salinity stress is due to reduced nutrient mobilization, hormonal imbalance, and formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), ionic toxicity, and osmotic stress. Additionally, salinity also modulates physicochemical properties and reduces the microbial diversity of soil and thus decreases soil health. On the other hand, the demand for crop production is expected to increase in coming decades owing to the increasing global population. Conventional agricultural practices and improved salt-tolerant crop varieties will not be sufficient to achieve the yields desired in the near future. Plants harbor diverse microbes in their rhizosphere, and these have the potential to cope with the salinity stress. These salinity-tolerant plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) assist the plants in withstanding saline conditions. These plant-associated microbes produce different compounds such as 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), antioxidants, extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), and volatile organic compounds (VOC). Additionally, the naturally associated microbiome of plants has the potential to protect the host through stress avoidance, tolerance, and resistance strategies. Recent developments in microbiome research have shown ways in which novel microbe-assisted technologies can enhance plant salt tolerance and enable higher crop production under saline conditions. This focused review article presents the global scenario of salinity stress and discusses research highlights regarding PGPB and the microbiome as a biological tool for mitigation of salinity stress in plants.

Bioremediation process optimization and effective reclamation of mixed carbamate-contaminated soil by newly isolated Acremonium sp

Global pollution from excessive pesticide use has become a serious environmental and public health problem. The aim of the study was to optimize the fungal mediated simultaneous removal of carbofuran and carbaryl from soil. Carb-PV5 strain was isolated from contaminated soil following enrichment culture technique; based on 18S rRNA sequencing, strain was identified as Acremonium sp. (MK514615); Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopic analysis reflected its morphology. Towards the development of bioaugmentation strategy for the bioremediation of carbamate-contaminated soil, the process parameters were optimized employing Central Composite Rotatable Method. The experimental studies were performed in the range of biomass (0.2-0.6 g kg^-1), temperature (23-33 °C), pH (6-9) and moisture (10-30%). The degradation rate parameters, k and t_1/2 were determined to as 0.475, 0.325 d^-1 and 5.39, 2.1 d with the corresponding r² of 0.9491, 0.9964 for zero and first order, respectively. The cube root growth kinetic constant k of Acremonium sp. varied from 0.0469 to 0.0512 (g^1/3 L^-1/3 h^-1) and 0.0378 to 0.0415 (g^1/3 L^-1/3 h^-1) for carbofuran and carbaryl, respectively. To confirm the model appropriacy and sustainability of the optimization procedure, bioremediation experiments were conducted onto real carbamate-contaminated soils. UPLC and GCMS analysis confirmed the successful removal of carbamates. The current study presents the first report on the bioaugmentation studies carried out on the mixed carbamate contaminated soil using newly isolated Acremonium sp.

Effects of Al3+ on the microstructure and bioflocculation of anoxic sludge

The aluminum ions generated from mining aluminum, electrolytic aluminum and the industrial production of aluminum-based coagulants (such as AlCl₃ and Al₂(SO₄)₃) enter sewage treatment plants and interact with activated sludges. An anaerobic/anoxic/oxic (A²O) process was used to reveal the effects of Al³⁺ on the pollutant removal efficiencies, bioflocculation and the microstructure of sludge. The results showed that a low concentration of Al³⁺ improved the pollutant removal efficiencies and increased the sludge particle size. However, a high concentration of Al³⁺ hindered microbial flocculation and reduced the pollutant removal efficiencies. With a 10 mg/L Al³⁺ addition, the chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN) and NH₄⁺-N increased by 3%, 16% and 27%, and reached as high as 68%, 60% and 87%, respectively. At the same time, the dehydrogenase activity, flocculation ability (FA) and contact angle of the sludge reached their maximum levels at 41.3 mg/L/hr, 45% and 79.63°, respectively. The specific surface area of the sludge decreased to 7.084 m²/g and the sludge pore size distribution shifted to concentrate in the mesoporous range. Most of Al³⁺ was adsorbed on the surface of sludge, changing the physicochemical properties and physical structure of the sludge.

Anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate enhanced biodegradation of dibutyl phthalate: Reducing membrane damage and oxidative stress in bacterial degradation

Plasticizer dibutyl phthalate (DBP) pollution has received more and more attention. In this study, a DBP degrading bacteria Enterobacter sp. DNB-S2 was found to suffer membrane damage and oxidative stress during DBP degradation. Physiological and transcriptome analysis showed that 100 μmol L^-1 anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) could enhance the ability of strain DNB-S2 for biodegradation of DBP. AQDS adjusted the cell surface structure, including increase levels of hydrophobic and unsaturated fatty acids. These changes increased the chemotactic ability of the strain DNB-S2 to the hydrophobic pollutant DBP and the fluidity of the cell membrane. The expression of methyl chemotactic protein and genes associated with cell membrane-fixed components were up-regulated. AQDS also improved the scavenging ability of ·OH and H₂O₂ of DNB-S2 by promoting expression genes related to glutathione metabolism, thereby reducing oxidative stress. These results will provide new insights into the biodegradation of DBP.

Identification of the key amino acid sites of the carbofuran hydrolase CehA from a newly isolated carbofuran-degrading strain Sphingbium sp. CFD-1

A novel carbofuran-degrading strain CFD-1 was isolated and preliminarily identified as Sphingbium sp. This strain was able to utilize carbofuran as the sole carbon source for growth. The carbofuran hydrolase gene cehA was cloned from strain CFD-1 and expressed in Escherichia coli. CehA could hydrolyze carbamate pesticides including carbofuran and carbaryl efficiently, while it showed poor hydrolysis ability against isoprocarb, propoxur, oxamyl and aldicarb. CehA displayed maximal enzymatic activity at 40 °C and pH 7.0. The apparent Km and Kcat values of CehA for carbofuran were 133.22 ± 5.70 μM and 9.48 ± 0.89 s-1, respectively. The site-directed mutation experiment showed that His313, His315, His453 and His495 played important roles in the hydrolysis of carbofuran by CehA. Furthermore, the sequence of cehA is highly conserved among different carbofuran-degrading strains, and there are mobile elements around cehA, indicating that it may be transferred horizontally between different strains.