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Qiu Q, Li H, Sun X, Tian K, Gu J, Zhang F, Zhou D, Zhang X, Huo H. Integrating genomics, molecular docking, and protein expression to explore new perspectives on polystyrene biodegradation. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 476:135031. [PMID: 38943889 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
Faced with the escalating challenge of global plastic pollution, this study specifically addresses the research gap in the biodegradation of polystyrene (PS). A PS-degrading bacterial strain was isolated from the gut of Tenebrio molitor, and genomics, molecular docking, and proteomics were employed to thoroughly investigate the biodegradation mechanisms of Pseudomonas putida H-01 against PS. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and contact angle analysis, significant morphological and structural changes in the PS films under the influence of the H-01 strain were observed. The study revealed several potential degradation genes and ten enzymes that were specifically upregulated in the PS degradation environment. Additionally, a novel protein with laccase-like activity, LacQ1, was purified from this strain for the first time, and its crucial role in the PS degradation process was confirmed. Through molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, the interactions between the enzymes and PS were detailed, elucidating the binding and catalytic mechanisms of the degradative enzymes with the substrate. These findings have deepened our understanding of PS degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Qiu
- School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, No. 2555 Jingyue Avenue, Changchun City, Jilin Province, China
| | - Han Li
- School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, No. 2555 Jingyue Avenue, Changchun City, Jilin Province, China
| | - Xuejian Sun
- School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, No. 2555 Jingyue Avenue, Changchun City, Jilin Province, China
| | - Kejian Tian
- School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, No. 2555 Jingyue Avenue, Changchun City, Jilin Province, China
| | - Jinming Gu
- School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, No. 2555 Jingyue Avenue, Changchun City, Jilin Province, China
| | - Fenglin Zhang
- School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, No. 2555 Jingyue Avenue, Changchun City, Jilin Province, China
| | - Dandan Zhou
- School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, No. 2555 Jingyue Avenue, Changchun City, Jilin Province, China; Engineering Research Center of Low-Carbon Treatment and Green Development of Polluted Water in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Xinwen Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Hainan Vocational University of Science and Technology, Haikou 571126, China.
| | - Hongliang Huo
- School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, No. 2555 Jingyue Avenue, Changchun City, Jilin Province, China; Engineering Research Center of Low-Carbon Treatment and Green Development of Polluted Water in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China.
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2
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Huang Y, Zhou Z, Cai Y, Li X, Huang Y, Hou J, Liu W. Response of petroleum-contaminated soil to chemical oxidation combined with biostimulation. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 282:116694. [PMID: 38971101 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
In this study, a microcosm experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of Na2S2O8 preoxidation combined with biostimulation on petroleum-contaminated soil remediation. The response of microbial community during this process was explored using BIOLOG ECO microplate carbon utilization method and 16 s rDNA high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that use of 10 mg/g Na2S2O8 removed 19.8 % of the petroleum hydrocarbons, reduced soil biotoxicity and did not affect soil microbial activity compared to other concentrations. Therefore, sodium persulfate of ca. 10 mg/g was used to oxidize petroleum in soil before the biostimulation experiment with organic and inorganic fertilizers. Our finding showed that the content of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) in soil was reduced by 43.3 % in inorganic fertilizer treatment after 60 days. The results of BIOLOG ECO microplate carbon utilization analysis and 16 S rDNA high-throughput sequencing further confirmed that biostimulation quickly restored the microbial activities in oxidant treated soil. The main marker bacteria in chemical oxidation combined with biostimulation remediation were Arthrobacter and Paenarthrobacter, and their relative abundances were both significantly negatively correlated with the content of petroleum hydrocarbons in soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjie Huang
- School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China.
| | - Zhenzhen Zhou
- School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China.
| | - Yuting Cai
- School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China.
| | - Xinmeng Li
- School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China.
| | - Yufeng Huang
- School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China.
| | - Jinyu Hou
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China.
| | - Wuxing Liu
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China.
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3
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Yu H, Li W, Feng S, Loo SCJ. Impacts of industrial food wastes on nutritional value of mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) and its gut microbiota community shift. BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES 2024; 165:214022. [PMID: 39226676 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2024.214022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
The extensive investigation into the capacity of mealworms to digest diverse food by-products, as well as plastic wastes, has been a focal point in recent years. The transition from traditional diet sources like brans to food wastes has the potential to impact the physiological properties of mealworms. This study explored the utilization of various industrial food wastes such as okara, barley spent grain (BSG), sesame oil meal (SOM), and spent coffee grounds (SCG) as feed alternatives, and reports on their survival rate, biomass variations, and nutritional composition. In additional, the shift in their gut microbiota was also assessed. Among the range of industrial food wastes, mealworms exhibited the most robust growth performance when nourished with BSG. This particular group showed a survival rate of 98.33 % and a biomass increase of 23.06 %. In contrast, mealworms fed with SCG demonstrated the lowest survival rate and experienced a significant reduction in biomass. Although the groups fed with okara and SCG displayed moderate growth performance, both exhibited protein levels comparable to those observed in the oatmeal-fed group (used as the positive control). Notably, the inclusion of BSG in the mealworm diet exhibited the potential to enrich their omega-3 fatty acid content, suggesting potential benefits for applications as animal feed or even human consumption. Furthermore, an analysis of the gut microbiome was conducted to investigate the associations between specific diets and the composition of mealworm gut microbiota. In summary, food wastes such as BSG may be repurposed as feed substrates for mealworms before converting them into an alternative source of protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Yu
- School of Material Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Wenrui Li
- School of Material Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Shiliu Feng
- School of Material Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Say Chye Joachim Loo
- School of Material Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore; Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, 67551, Singapore; Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 11 Mandalay Road, 308232, Singapore.
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Carpentier J, Abenaim L, Luttenschlager H, Dessauvages K, Liu Y, Samoah P, Francis F, Caparros Megido R. Microorganism Contribution to Mass-Reared Edible Insects: Opportunities and Challenges. INSECTS 2024; 15:611. [PMID: 39194816 DOI: 10.3390/insects15080611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2024] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
The interest in edible insects' mass rearing has grown considerably in recent years, thereby highlighting the challenges of domesticating new animal species. Insects are being considered for use in the management of organic by-products from the agro-industry, synthetic by-products from the plastics industry including particular detoxification processes. The processes depend on the insect's digestive system which is based on two components: an enzymatic intrinsic cargo to the insect species and another extrinsic cargo provided by the microbial community colonizing-associated with the insect host. Advances have been made in the identification of the origin of the digestive functions observed in the midgut. It is now evident that the community of microorganisms can adapt, improve, and extend the insect's ability to digest and detoxify its food. Nevertheless, edible insect species such as Hermetia illucens and Tenebrio molitor are surprisingly autonomous, and no obligatory symbiosis with a microorganism has yet been uncovered for digestion. Conversely, the intestinal microbiota of a given species can take on different forms, which are largely influenced by the host's environment and diet. This flexibility offers the potential for the development of novel associations between insects and microorganisms, which could result in the creation of synergies that would optimize or expand value chains for agro-industrial by-products, as well as for contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Carpentier
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage Des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Linda Abenaim
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Hugo Luttenschlager
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage Des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Kenza Dessauvages
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage Des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Yangyang Liu
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage Des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
- Institute of Feed Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Prince Samoah
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage Des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Frédéric Francis
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage Des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Rudy Caparros Megido
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage Des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
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Miravalle E, Balboa S, Zanetti M, Otero A, Lazzari M. New insights on the degradation of polystyrene and polypropylene by larvae of the superworm Zophobas atratus and gut bacterial consortium enrichments obtained under different culture conditions. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 478:135475. [PMID: 39146588 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
This study aims to deepen knowledge of the biodegradation of plastics, focusing on polypropylene (PP) fabric from surgical masks and polystyrene (PS) by larvae of Zophobas atratus as well as of specialized bacterial consortia from their gut, which were obtained in different enrichment conditions (aerobic, anaerobic, presence or absence of combined nitrogen). Plastics ingested by larvae obtained in Spain did not show any signs of oxidation but only limited depolymerization, preferably from the lowest molecular weight chains. Gut microbiota composition changed as an effect of plastic feeding. Such differences were more evident in bacterial enrichment cultures, where the polymer type influenced the composition more than by culture conditions, with an increase in the presence of nitrogen-fixers in anaerobic conditions. PS and PP degradation by different enrichment cultures was confirmed under aerobic and anaerobic conditions by respirometry tests, with anaerobic conditions favouring a more active plastic degradation. In addition, exposure to selected bacterial consortia in aerobiosis induced limited surface oxidation of PS. This possibly indicates that different biochemical routes are being utilized in the anaerobic gut and in aerobic conditions to degrade the polymer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo Miravalle
- Department of Chemistry, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy; Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - Sabela Balboa
- Departamento de Microbioloxía e Parasitoloxía, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Cross-disciplinary Research Center in Environmental Technologies (CRETUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - Marco Zanetti
- Department of Chemistry, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy.
| | - Ana Otero
- Departamento de Microbioloxía e Parasitoloxía, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Aquatic One Health Research Institute (iARCUS). Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - Massimo Lazzari
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Departamento de Química Física, Facultade de Química, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
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Zhang S, Hou R, Sun C, Huang Q, Lin L, Li H, Liu S, Cheng Y, Xu X. Metabolic activity of gut microbial enrichment cultures from different marine species and their transformation abilities to plastic additives. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 190:108882. [PMID: 38996798 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
The role of the gut microbiota in host physiology has been previously elucidated for some marine organisms, but little information is available on their metabolic activity involved in transformation of environmental pollutants. This study assessed the metabolic profiles of the gut microbial cultures from grouper (Epinephelus coioides), green mussel (Perna viridis) and giant tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) and investigated their transformation mechanisms to typical plastic additives. Community-level physiological profiling analysis confirmed the utilization profiles of the microbial cultures including carbon sources of carbohydrates, amines, carboxylic acids, phenolic compounds, polymers and amino acids, and the plastic additives of organophosphate flame retardants, tetrabromobisphenol A derivates and bisphenols. Using in vitro incubation, triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) was found to be rapidly metabolized into diphenyl phosphate by the gut microbiota as a representative ester-containing plastic additive, whereas the transformation of BPA (a representative phenol) was relatively slower. Interestingly, all three kinds of microbial cultures efficiently transformed the hepatic metabolite of BPA (BPA-G) back to BPA, thereby increasing its bioavailability in the body. The specific enzyme analysis confirmed the ability of the gut microbiota to perform the metabolic reactions. The results of 16S rRNA sequencing and network analysis revealed that the genera Escherichia-Shigella, Citrobacter, and Anaerospora were functional microbes, and their collaboration with fermentative microbes played pivotal roles in the transformation of the plastic additives. The structure-specific transformations by the gut microbiota and their distinct bioavailability deserve more attention in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Rui Hou
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China.
| | - Chuansheng Sun
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China
| | - Qianyi Huang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lang Lin
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
| | - Hengxiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
| | - Shan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
| | - Yuanyue Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
| | - Xiangrong Xu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.
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7
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Peng BY, Wang WX. Microplastics Biofragmentation and Degradation Kinetics in the Plastivore Insect Tenebrio molitor. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 39028927 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c05113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
The insect Tenebrio molitor possesses an exceptional capacity for ultrafast plastic biodegradation within 1 day of gut retention, but the kinetics remains unknown. Herein, we investigated the biofragmentation and degradation kinetics of different microplastics (MPs), i.e., polyethylene (PE), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), and poly(lactic acid) (PLA), in T. molitor larvae. The intestinal reactions contributing to the in vivo MPs biodegradation were concurrently examined by utilizing aggregated-induced emission (AIE) probes. Our findings revealed that the intestinal biofragmentation rates essentially followed the order of PLA > PE > PVC. Notably, all MPs displayed retention effects in the intestine, with PVC requiring the longest duration for complete removal/digestion. The dynamic rate constant of degradable MPs (0.2108 h-1 for PLA) was significantly higher than that of persistent MPs (0.0675 and 0.0501 h-1 for PE and PVC, respectively) during the digestive gut retention. Surprisingly,T. molitor larvae instinctively modulated their internal digestive environment in response to in vivo biodegradation of various MP polymers. Esterase activity and intestinal acidification both significantly increased following MPs ingestion. The highest esterase and acidification levels were observed in the PLA-fed and PVC-fed larvae, respectively. High digestive esterase activity and relatively low acidification levels inT. molitor larvae may, to some extent, contribute to more efficient MPs removal within the plastic-degrading insect. This work provided important understanding of MPs biofragmentation and intestinal responses to in vivo MPs biodegradation in plastic-degrading insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Yu Peng
- School of Energy and Environment and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Research Centre for the Oceans and Human Health, City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Wen-Xiong Wang
- School of Energy and Environment and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Research Centre for the Oceans and Human Health, City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057, China
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Jiang J, Xu H, Cao X, Liang Y, Mo A, Cao X, Liu Y, Benbow ME, Criddle CS, Wu WM, He D. Soil-dwelling grub larvae of Protaetia brevitarsis biodegrade polystyrene: Responses of gut microbiome and host metabolism. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 934:173399. [PMID: 38781836 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Plastic pollution poses a significant threat to terrestrial ecosystems, yet the potential for soil fauna to contribute to plastic biodegradation remains largely unexplored. In this study, we reveal that soil-dwelling grubs, Protaetia brevitarsis larvae, can effectively biodegrade polystyrene (PS) plastics. Over a period of 4 weeks, these grubs achieved a remarkable 61.5 % reduction in PS foam mass. This biodegradation was confirmed by the depolymerization of ingested PS, formation of oxidative functional groups, noticeable chemical modifications, and an increase of δ13C of residual PS in frass. Additionally, antibiotic treatment to suppress gut microbes led to variations in the biodegradation process. PS ingestion induced a significant shift in the gut microbiome, promoting the growth of degradation-related bacteria such as Promicromonosporaceae, Bacillaceae, and Paenibacillaceae. Furthermore, the digestion of plastic triggered extensive metabolomic reprogramming of grubs' intestines, enhancing redox capabilities and facilitating PS biodegradation. These results indicate that responsive adaptation of both the gut microbiome and the host's intestinal metabolism contributes to PS degradation. Collectively, these findings demonstrate P. brevitarsis larvae's capability to alleviate soil plastic pollution, and highlight the potential of researching soil fauna further for sustainable plastic waste management solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Jiang
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation of Organic Solid Waste, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Haowen Xu
- School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 999077, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiaomu Cao
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation of Organic Solid Waste, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Yuqing Liang
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation of Organic Solid Waste, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Aoyun Mo
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation of Organic Solid Waste, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Xuelong Cao
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation of Organic Solid Waste, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Yan Liu
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation of Organic Solid Waste, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Mark Eric Benbow
- Department of Entomology and Department of Osteopathic Medical Specialties, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Craig S Criddle
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, William & Cloy Codiga Resource Recovery Center, Center for Sustainable Development & Global Competitiveness, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-4020, USA
| | - Wei-Min Wu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, William & Cloy Codiga Resource Recovery Center, Center for Sustainable Development & Global Competitiveness, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-4020, USA.
| | - Defu He
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation of Organic Solid Waste, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
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9
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Yang XG, Wen PP, Yang YF, Jia PP, Li WG, Pei DS. Corrigendum: Plastic biodegradation by in vitro environmental microorganisms and in vivo gut microorganisms of insects. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1444678. [PMID: 39040902 PMCID: PMC11261735 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1444678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1001750.].
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian-Guang Yang
- State Key Laboratory Base of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Ping-Ping Wen
- State Key Laboratory Base of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yi-Fan Yang
- State Key Laboratory Base of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Pan-Pan Jia
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wei-Guo Li
- State Key Laboratory Base of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
| | - De-Sheng Pei
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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10
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Peng BY, Xu Y, Zhou X, Wu WM, Zhang Y. Generation and Fate of Nanoplastics in the Intestine of Plastic-Degrading Insect ( Tenebrio molitor Larvae) during Polystyrene Microplastic Biodegradation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:10368-10377. [PMID: 38814143 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c01130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
The insect Tenebrio molitor exhibits ultrafast efficiency in biodegrading polystyrene (PS). However, the generation and fate of nanoplastics (NPs) in the intestine during plastic biodegradation remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the biodegradation of PS microplastics (MPs) mediated by T. molitor larvae over a 4-week period and confirmed biodegradation by analyzing Δδ13C in the PS before and after biotreatment (-28.37‰ versus -24.88‰) as an effective tool. The ·OH radicals, primarily contributed by gut microbiota, and H2O2, primarily produced by the host, both increased after MP digestion. The size distribution of residual MP particles in excrements fluctuated within the micrometer ranges. PS NPs were detected in the intestine but not in the excrements. At the end of Weeks 1, 2, 3, and 4, the concentrations of PS NPs in gut tissues were 3.778, 2.505, 2.087, and 2.853 ng/lava, respectively, while PS NPs in glands were quantified at 0.636, 0.284, and 0.113 ng/lava and eventually fell below the detection limit. The PS NPs in glands remained below the detection limit at the end of Weeks 5 and 6. This indicates that initially, NPs generated in the gut entered glands, then declined gradually and eventually disappeared or possibly biodegraded after Week 4, associated with the elevated plastic-degrading capacities of T. molitor larvae. Our findings unveil rapid synergistic MP biodegradation by the larval host and gut microbiota, as well as the fate of generated NPs, providing new insights into the risks and fate associated with NPs during invertebrate-mediated plastic biodegradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Yu Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yazhou Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Protected Agriculture, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Protected Agriculture, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- Key Laboratory of Rural Toilet and Sewage Treatment Technology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xuefei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Wei-Min Wu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, William & Cloy Codiga Resource Recovery Center, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-4020, United States
| | - Yalei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- Key Laboratory of Rural Toilet and Sewage Treatment Technology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
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11
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Bergeson AR, Silvera AJ, Alper HS. Bottlenecks in biobased approaches to plastic degradation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4715. [PMID: 38830860 PMCID: PMC11148140 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49146-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Plastic waste is an environmental challenge, but also presents a biotechnological opportunity as a unique carbon substrate. With modern biotechnological tools, it is possible to enable both recycling and upcycling. To realize a plastics bioeconomy, significant intrinsic barriers must be overcome using a combination of enzyme, strain, and process engineering. This article highlights advances, challenges, and opportunities for a variety of common plastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia R Bergeson
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Ashli J Silvera
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Hal S Alper
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
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12
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Gwenzi W, Gufe C, Alufasi R, Makuvara Z, Marumure J, Shanmugam SR, Selvasembian R, Halabowski D. Insects to the rescue? Insights into applications, mechanisms, and prospects of insect-driven remediation of organic contaminants. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 925:171116. [PMID: 38382596 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Traditional and emerging contaminants pose significant human and environmental health risks. Conventional physical, chemical, and bioremediation techniques have been extensively studied for contaminant remediation. However, entomo- or insect-driven remediation has received limited research and public attention. Entomo-remediation refers to the use of insects, their associated gut microbiota, and enzymes to remove or mitigate organic contaminants. This novel approach shows potential as an eco-friendly method for mitigating contaminated media. However, a comprehensive review of the status, applications, and challenges of entomo-remediation is lacking. This paper addresses this research gap by examining and discussing the evidence on entomo-remediation of various legacy and emerging organic contaminants. The results demonstrate the successful application of entomo-remediation to remove legacy organic contaminants such as persistent organic pollutants. Moreover, entomo-remediation shows promise in removing various groups of emerging contaminants, including microplastics, persistent and emerging organic micropollutants (e.g., antibiotics, pesticides), and nanomaterials. Entomo-remediation involves several insect-mediated processes, including bio-uptake, biotransfer, bioaccumulation, and biotransformation of contaminants. The mechanisms underlying the biotransformation of contaminants are complex and rely on the insect gut microbiota and associated enzymes. Notably, while insects facilitate the remediation of contaminants, they may also be exposed to the ecotoxicological effects of these substances, which is often overlooked in research. As an emerging field of research, entomo-remediation has several knowledge gaps. Therefore, this review proposes ten key research questions to guide future perspectives and advance the field. These questions address areas such as process optimization, assessment of ecotoxicological effects on insects, and evaluation of potential human exposure and health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willis Gwenzi
- Biosystems and Environmental Engineering Research Group, 380 New Adylin, Marlborough, Harare, Zimbabwe; Alexander von Humboldt Fellow and Guest Professor, Grassland Science and Renewable Plant Resources, Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences, Universität Kassel, Steinstraße 19, D-37213 Witzenhausen, Germany; Alexander von Humboldt Fellow and Guest Professor, Leibniz-Institut für Agrartechnik und Bioökonomie e.V. (ATB), Max-Eyth-Allee 100, D-14469 Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Claudious Gufe
- Department of Veterinary Technical Services, Central Veterinary Laboratories, 18A Bevan Building, Borrowdale Road, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Richwell Alufasi
- Biological Sciences Department, Bindura University of Science Education, 741 Chimurenga Road, Off Trojan Road, P. Bag 1020, Bindura, Zimbabwe
| | - Zakio Makuvara
- Department of Physics, Geography and Environmental Science, School of Natural Sciences, Great Zimbabwe University, Masvingo, Zimbabwe; Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, South Africa
| | - Jerikias Marumure
- Department of Physics, Geography and Environmental Science, School of Natural Sciences, Great Zimbabwe University, Masvingo, Zimbabwe; Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, South Africa
| | | | - Rangabhashiyam Selvasembian
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Engineering and Sciences, SRM University-AP, Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh 522240, India
| | - Dariusz Halabowski
- University of Lodz, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, Lodz, Poland
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13
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Shamjana U, Vasu DA, Hembrom PS, Nayak K, Grace T. The role of insect gut microbiota in host fitness, detoxification and nutrient supplementation. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 2024; 117:71. [PMID: 38668783 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-024-01970-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Insects are incredibly diverse, ubiquitous and have successfully flourished out of the dynamic and often unpredictable nature of evolutionary processes. The resident microbiome has accompanied the physical and biological adaptations that enable their continued survival and proliferation in a wide array of environments. The host insect and microbiome's bidirectional relationship exhibits their capability to influence each other's physiology, behavior and characteristics. Insects are reported to rely directly on the microbial community to break down complex food, adapt to nutrient-deficit environments, protect themselves from natural adversaries and control the expression of social behavior. High-throughput metagenomic approaches have enhanced the potential for determining the abundance, composition, diversity and functional activities of microbial fauna associated with insect hosts, enabling in-depth investigation into insect-microbe interactions. We undertook a review of some of the major advances in the field of metagenomics, focusing on insect-microbe interaction, diversity and composition of resident microbiota, the functional capability of endosymbionts and discussions on different symbiotic relationships. The review aims to be a valuable resource on insect gut symbiotic microbiota by providing a comprehensive understanding of how insect gut symbionts systematically perform a range of functions, viz., insecticide degradation, nutritional support and immune fitness. A thorough understanding of manipulating specific gut symbionts may aid in developing advanced insect-associated research to attain health and design strategies for pest management.
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Affiliation(s)
- U Shamjana
- Department of Genomic Science, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, 671316, India
| | - Deepa Azhchath Vasu
- Department of Genomic Science, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, 671316, India
| | - Preety Sweta Hembrom
- Department of Genomic Science, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, 671316, India
| | - Karunakar Nayak
- Department of Genomic Science, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, 671316, India
| | - Tony Grace
- Department of Genomic Science, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, 671316, India.
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He L, Ding J, Yang SS, Zang YN, Pang JW, Xing D, Zhang LY, Ren N, Wu WM. Molecular-Weight-Dependent Degradation of Plastics: Deciphering Host-Microbiome Synergy Biodegradation of High-Purity Polypropylene Microplastics by Mealworms. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:6647-6658. [PMID: 38563431 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c06954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The biodegradation of polypropylene (PP), a highly persistent nonhydrolyzable polymer, by Tenebrio molitor has been confirmed using commercial PP microplastics (MPs) (Mn 26.59 and Mw 187.12 kDa). This confirmation was based on the reduction of the PP mass, change in molecular weight (MW), and a positive Δδ13C in the residual PP. A MW-dependent biodegradation mechanism was investigated using five high-purity PP MPs, classified into low (0.83 and 6.20 kDa), medium (50.40 and 108.0 kDa), and high (575.0 kDa) MW categories to access the impact of MW on the depolymerization pattern and associated gene expression of gut bacteria and the larval host. The larvae can depolymerize/biodegrade PP polymers with high MW although the consumption rate and weight losses increased, and survival rates declined with increasing PP MW. This pattern is similar to observations with polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene (PE), i.e., both Mn and Mw decreased after being fed low MW PP, while Mn and/or Mw increased after high MW PP was fed. The gut microbiota exhibited specific bacteria associations, such as Kluyvera sp. and Pediococcus sp. for high MW PP degradation, Acinetobacter sp. for medium MW PP, and Bacillus sp. alongside three other bacteria for low MW PP metabolism. In the host transcriptome, digestive enzymes and plastic degradation-related bacterial enzymes were up-regulated after feeding on PP depending on different MWs. The T. molitor host exhibited both defensive function and degradation capability during the biodegradation of plastics, with high MW PP showing a relatively negative impact on the larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei He
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Jie Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Shan-Shan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Ya-Ni Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Ji-Wei Pang
- CECEP Digital Technology Co., Ltd., China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group, Beijing 100096, China
| | - Defeng Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Lu-Yan Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, China
| | - Nanqi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Wei-Min Wu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, William & Cloy Codiga Resource Recovery Center, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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15
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He L, Yang SS, Ding J, Chen CX, Yang F, He ZL, Pang JW, Peng BY, Zhang Y, Xing DF, Ren NQ, Wu WM. Biodegradation of polyethylene terephthalate by Tenebrio molitor: Insights for polymer chain size, gut metabolome and host genes. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 465:133446. [PMID: 38219578 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or polyester) is a commonly used plastic and also contributes to the majority of plastic wastes. Mealworms (Tenebrio molitor larvae) are capable of biodegrading major plastic polymers but their degrading ability for PET has not been characterized based on polymer chain size molecular size, gut microbiome, metabolome and transcriptome. We verified biodegradation of commercial PET by T. molitor larvae in a previous report. Here, we reported that biodegradation of commercial PET (Mw 29.43 kDa) was further confirmed by using the δ13C signature as an indication of bioreaction, which was increased from - 27.50‰ to - 26.05‰. Under antibiotic suppression of gut microbes, the PET was still depolymerized, indicating that the host digestive enzymes could degrade PET independently. Biodegradation of high purity PET with low, medium, and high molecular weights (MW), i.e., Mw values of 1.10, 27.10, and 63.50 kDa with crystallinity 53.66%, 33.43%, and 4.25%, respectively, showed a mass reduction of > 95%, 86%, and 74% via broad depolymerization. Microbiome analyses indicated that PET diets shifted gut microbiota to three distinct structures, depending on the low, medium, and high MW. Metagenome sequencing, transcriptomic, and metabolic analyses indicated symbiotic biodegradation of PET by the host and gut microbiota. After PET was fed, the host's genes encoding degradation enzymes were upregulated, including genes encoding oxidizing, hydrolyzing, and non-specific CYP450 enzymes. Gut bacterial genes for biodegrading intermediates and nitrogen fixation also upregulated. The multiple-functional metabolic pathways for PET biodegradation ensured rapid biodegradation resulting in a half-life of PET less than 4 h with less negative impact by PET MW and crystallinity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei He
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Shan-Shan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
| | - Jie Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Cheng-Xin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Fan Yang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Zhi-Li He
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519080, China
| | - Ji-Wei Pang
- China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group, Beijing 100089, China
| | - Bo-Yu Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yalei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - De-Feng Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Nan-Qi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Wei-Min Wu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, William & Cloy Codiga Resource Recovery Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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16
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Shah MZ, Quraishi M, Sreejith A, Pandit S, Roy A, Khandaker MU. Sustainable degradation of synthetic plastics: A solution to rising environmental concerns. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 352:141451. [PMID: 38368957 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Plastics have a significant role in various sectors of the global economy since they are widely utilized in agriculture, architecture, and construction, as well as health and consumer goods. They play a crucial role in several industries as they are utilized in the production of diverse things such as defense materials, sanitary wares, tiles, plastic bottles, artificial leather, and various other household goods. Plastics are utilized in the packaging of food items, medications, detergents, and cosmetics. The overconsumption of plastics presents a significant peril to both the ecosystem and human existence on Earth. The accumulation of plastics on land and in the sea has sparked interest in finding ways to breakdown these polymers. It is necessary to employ suitable biodegradable techniques to decrease the accumulation of plastics in the environment. To address the environmental issues related to plastics, it is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of the interaction between microorganisms and polymers. A wide range of creatures, particularly microbes, have developed techniques to survive and break down plastics. This review specifically examines the categorization of plastics based on their thermal and biodegradable properties, as well as the many types of degradation and biodegradation. It also discusses the various types of degradable plastics, the characterization of biodegradation, and the factors that influence the process of biodegradation. The plastic breakdown and bioremediation capabilities of these microbes make them ideal for green chemistry applications aimed at removing hazardous polymers from the ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masirah Zahid Shah
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 410206, India
| | - Marzuqa Quraishi
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 410206, India
| | - Anushree Sreejith
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 410206, India
| | - Soumya Pandit
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Basic Sciences and Research, Sharda University, Greater Noida, 201306, India.
| | - Arpita Roy
- Department of Biotechnology, Sharda School of Engineering & Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, India.
| | - Mayeen Uddin Khandaker
- Applied Physics and Radiation Technologies Group, CCDCU, School of Engineering and Technology, Sunway University, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia; Faculty of Graduate Studies, Daffodil International University, Daffodil Smart City, Birulia, Savar, Dhaka, 1216, Bangladesh
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17
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Li X, Wang Y, Sun H, Wang Y, Han X, Yu J, Zhao X, Liu B. Differences in ingestion and biodegradation of the melamine formaldehyde plastic by yellow mealworms Tenebrio molitor and superworms Zophobas atratus, and the prediction of functional gut microbes. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 352:141499. [PMID: 38373446 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Plastics biodegradation by insect larvae is considered as a new strategy for plastic wastes treatment. To uncover the biodegradation of a more complex chemical polymer of melamine formaldehyde (MF) by insect larvae, two worm species of yellow mealworm Tenebrio molitor and superworm Zophobas atratus were fed on MF foam as sole diet for 45 days with sole bran diet as control. Although the MF foam consumption by yellow mealworms of 0.38 mg/d/g-larvae was almost 40% higher than that by superworms of 0.28 mg/d/g-larvae, a similar decrease of survival rates in both species were obtained at about 58%, indicating the adverse effects on their growth. Depolymerization and biodegradation of MF foam occurred in both larval guts, but was more extensive in yellow mealworms. MF foam sole diet influenced gut bacterial and fungal microbiomes of both larvae species, which were assessed by Illumina MiSeq on day 45. Compared to the bran-fed group, both gut bacterial and fungal communities significantly changed in MF-fed groups, but differed in the two larvae species. The results demonstrated a strong association between the distinctive gut microbiome and MF foam degradation, such as unclassified Enterobacteriaceae, Hyphopichia and Issatchenkia. However, sole MF foam diet negatively influenced worms, like lower survival rates and gut abnormalities. In summary, MF foam could be degraded by both yellow mealworms and superworms, albeit with adverse effects. Gut microbes were strongly associated to MF foam degradation, especially the gut fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, PR China
| | - Yijing Wang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, PR China
| | - Huayang Sun
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, PR China
| | - Yumeng Wang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, PR China
| | - Xiaoyu Han
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, PR China
| | - Jingli Yu
- College of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Huhhot, 010021, PR China
| | - Xin Zhao
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, PR China.
| | - Baoqin Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China.
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18
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Mannaa M, Mansour A, Park I, Lee DW, Seo YS. Insect-based agri-food waste valorization: Agricultural applications and roles of insect gut microbiota. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ECOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 17:100287. [PMID: 37333762 PMCID: PMC10275724 DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2023.100287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Meeting the demands of the growing population requires increased food and feed production, leading to higher levels of agri-food waste. As this type of waste seriously threatens public health and the environment, novel approaches to waste management should be developed. Insects have been proposed as efficient agents for biorefining waste, producing biomass that can be used for commercial products. However, challenges in achieving optimal outcomes and maximizing beneficial results remain. Microbial symbionts associated with insects are known to have a critical role in the development, fitness, and versatility of insects, and as such, they can be utilized as targets for the optimization of agri-food waste insect-based biorefinery systems. This review discusses insect-based biorefineries, focusing on the agricultural applications of edible insects, mainly as animal feed and organic fertilizers. We also describe the interplay between agri-food waste-utilizing insects and associated microbiota and the microbial contribution in enhancing insect growth, development, and involvement in organic waste bioconversion processes. The potential contribution of insect gut microbiota in eliminating pathogens, toxins, and pollutants and microbe-mediated approaches for enhancing insect growth and the bioconversion of organic waste are also discussed. The present review outlines the benefits of using insects in agri-food and organic waste biorefinery systems, describes the roles of insect-associated microbial symbionts in waste bioconversion processes, and highlights the potential of such biorefinery systems in addressing the current agri-food waste-related challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Mannaa
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea
- Department of Plant Pathology, Cairo University, Faculty of Agriculture, Giza, 12613, Egypt
| | - Abdelaziz Mansour
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea
- Department of Economic Entomology and Pesticides, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, 12613, Egypt
| | - Inmyoung Park
- School of Food and Culinary Arts, Youngsan University, Bansong Beltway, Busan, 48015, Republic of Korea
| | - Dae-Weon Lee
- Department of SmartBio, Kyungsung University, Busan, 48434, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Su Seo
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea
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Khan SA, Kojour MAM, Han YS. Recent trends in insect gut immunity. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1272143. [PMID: 38193088 PMCID: PMC10773798 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1272143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The gut is a crucial organ in insect defense against various pathogens and harmful substances in their environment and diet. Distinct insect gut compartments possess unique functionalities contributing to their physiological processes, including immunity. The insect gut's cellular composition is vital for cellular and humoral immunity. The peritrophic membrane, mucus layer, lumen, microvilli, and various gut cells provide essential support for activating and regulating immune defense mechanisms. These components also secrete molecules and enzymes that are imperative in physiological activities. Additionally, the gut microbiota initiates various signaling pathways and produces vitamins and minerals that help maintain gut homeostasis. Distinct immune signaling pathways are activated within the gut when insects ingest pathogens or hazardous materials. The pathway induced depends on the infection or pathogen type; include immune deficiency (imd), Toll, JAK/STAT, Duox-ROS, and JNK/FOXO regulatory pathways. These pathways produce different antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and maintain gut homeostasis. Furthermore, various signaling mechanisms within gut cells regulate insect gut recovery following infection. Although some questions regarding insect gut immunity in different species require additional study, this review provides insights into the insect gut's structure and composition, commensal microorganism roles in Drosophila melanogaster and Tenebrio molitor life cycles, different signaling pathways involved in gut immune systems, and the insect gut post-infection recovery through various signaling mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahidul Ahmed Khan
- Department of Applied Biology, Institute of Environmentally Friendly Agriculture (IEFA), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Maryam Ali Mohmmadie Kojour
- Life & Medical Sciences Institute (LIMES) Development, Genetics & Molecular Physiology Unit, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Yeon Soo Han
- Department of Applied Biology, Institute of Environmentally Friendly Agriculture (IEFA), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
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20
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Zhu J, Chen X, Chen SC, Qiu W, Yu J, Guo T, Wang X. Diversity and community composition of strictly anaerobic and culturable bacteria from the feces of Styrofoam-fed Tenebrio molitor larvae: a culturomics-based study. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1309806. [PMID: 38116533 PMCID: PMC10728288 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1309806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction In recent years, researchers have been exploring the plastic-degrading abilities of bacteria residing in the guts of Styrofoam-eating Tenebrio molitor larvae. However, none of the reported strains have displayed highly efficient plastic degradation capabilities, and it's noteworthy that none of the existing studies have focused on strictly anaerobic microbes. Methods In this study, we exclusively fed Styrofoam to T. molitor larvae and examined how this dietary change influence the gut's bacterial community composition, as observed through fecal bacteria using bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and the small-scale culturomics method with 20 types of anaerobic media under four different conditions. Results The results revealed a significant shift in the dominant phylogroup from Lactococcus (37.8%) to Escherichia-Shigella (54.7%) when comparing the feces of larvae fed with bran and Styrofoam, as analyzing through the bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. For small-scale culturomics method, a total of 226 strains of anaerobic bacteria were isolated and purified using the rolling-tube/strictly anaerobic technique. Among them, 226 strains were classified into 3 phyla, 7 classes, 9 orders, 17 families, 29 genera, 42 known species and 34 potential novel species. Discussion Interestingly, 24 genera in total, identified through the culturomics method, were not found in the results obtained from amplicon sequencing. Here, we present a collection of culturable anaerobic bacteria from the feces of T. molitor larvae, which might be a promising avenue for investigating the biodegradability of plastics by combining specific strains, either randomly or intentionally, while considering the abundance ratio of the microbial community composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyu Zhu
- Innovation Center for Soil Remediation and Restoration Technologies, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- School of Resources and Chemical Engineering, Sanming University, Sanming, Fujian, China
| | - Xiaochen Chen
- Innovation Center for Soil Remediation and Restoration Technologies, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Sheng-Chung Chen
- Innovation Center for Soil Remediation and Restoration Technologies, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- School of Resources and Chemical Engineering, Sanming University, Sanming, Fujian, China
| | - Wanling Qiu
- School of Resources and Chemical Engineering, Sanming University, Sanming, Fujian, China
| | - Jianying Yu
- Innovation Center for Soil Remediation and Restoration Technologies, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- The Second Geological Exploration Institute, China Metallurgical Geology Bureau, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Tengfei Guo
- Innovation Center for Soil Remediation and Restoration Technologies, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- The Second Geological Exploration Institute, China Metallurgical Geology Bureau, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Xianxing Wang
- Innovation Center for Soil Remediation and Restoration Technologies, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- The Second Geological Exploration Institute, China Metallurgical Geology Bureau, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
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21
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Acosta DJ, Alper HS. Advances in enzymatic and organismal technologies for the recycling and upcycling of petroleum-derived plastic waste. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2023; 84:103021. [PMID: 37980777 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2023.103021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Biological catalysts are emerging with the capability to depolymerize a wide variety of plastics. Improving and discovering these catalysts has leveraged a range of tools, including microbial ecology studies, high-throughput selections, and computationally guided mutational studies. In this review, we discuss the prospects for biological solutions to plastic recycling and upcycling with a focus on major advances in polyethylene terephthalate depolymerization, expanding the range of polymers with known biological catalysts, and the utilization of derived products. We highlight several recent improvements in enzymes and reaction properties, the discovery of a wide variety of novel plastic-depolymerizing biocatalysts, and how depolymerization products can be utilized in recycling and upcycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Acosta
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Hal S Alper
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
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22
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Peng BY, Xiao S, Sun Y, Liu Y, Chen J, Zhou X, Wu WM, Zhang Y. Unveiling Fragmentation of Plastic Particles during Biodegradation of Polystyrene and Polyethylene Foams in Mealworms: Highly Sensitive Detection and Digestive Modeling Prediction. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:15099-15111. [PMID: 37751481 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c04406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
It remains unknown whether plastic-biodegrading macroinvertebrates generate microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) during the biodegradation of plastics. In this study, we utilized highly sensitive particle analyzers and pyrolyzer-gas chromatography mass spectrometry (Py-GCMS) to investigate the possibility of generating MPs and NPs in frass during the biodegradation of polystyrene (PS) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) foams by mealworms (Tenebrio molitor larvae). We also developed a digestive biofragmentation model to predict and unveil the fragmentation process of ingested plastics. The mealworms removed 77.3% of ingested PS and 71.1% of ingested PE over a 6-week test period. Biodegradation of both polymers was verified by the increase in the δ13C signature of residual plastics, changes in molecular weights, and the formation of new oxidative functional groups. MPs accumulated in the frass due to biofragmentation, with residual PS and PE exhibiting the maximum percentage by number at 2.75 and 7.27 μm, respectively. Nevertheless, NPs were not detected using a laser light scattering sizer with a detection limit of 10 nm and Py-GCMS analysis. The digestive biofragmentation model predicted that the ingested PS and PE were progressively size-reduced and rapidly biodegraded, indicating the shorter half-life the smaller plastic particles have. This study allayed concerns regarding the accumulation of NPs by plastic-degrading mealworms and provided critical insights into the factors controlling MP and NP generation during macroinvertebrate-mediated plastic biodegradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Yu Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Shaoze Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Ying Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yurong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Smart Manufacturing in Energy Chemical Process, Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Jiabin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xuefei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Wei-Min Wu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, William & Cloy Codiga Resource Recovery Center, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-4020, United States
| | - Yalei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
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23
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Kang MG, Kwak MJ, Kim Y. Polystyrene microplastics biodegradation by gut bacterial Enterobacter hormaechei from mealworms under anaerobic conditions: Anaerobic oxidation and depolymerization. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 459:132045. [PMID: 37480606 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic plastic is used throughout daily life and industry, threatening organisms with microplastic pollution. Polystyrene is a major plastic polymer and also widely found sources of plastic wastes and microplastics. Here, we report that Enterobacter hormaechei LG3 (CP118279.1), a facultative anaerobic bacterial strain isolated from the gut of Tenebrio molitor larvae (mealworms) can oxidize and depolymerize polystyrene under anaerobic conditions. LG3 performed biodegradation while forming a biofilm on the plastic surface. PS biodegradation was characterized by analyses of surface oxidation, change in morphology and molecular weights, and production of biodegraded derivative. The biodegradation performance by LG3 was compared with PS biodegradation by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SCGB1 under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions. In addition, through nanopore sequencing technology, we identified degradative enzymes, including thiol peroxidase (tpx), alkyl hydroperoxide reductase C (ahpC) and bacterioferritin comigratory protein (bcp). Along with the upregulation of degradative enzymes for biodegradation, changes in lipid A and biofilm-associated proteins were also observed after the cells were incubated with polystyrene microplastics. Our results provide evidence for anaerobic biodegradation by polystyrene-degrading bacteria and show alterations in gene expression patterns after polystyrene microplastics treatment in the opportunistic pathogen Enterobacter hormaechei.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Geun Kang
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Jin Kwak
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Younghoon Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
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24
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De Filippis F, Bonelli M, Bruno D, Sequino G, Montali A, Reguzzoni M, Pasolli E, Savy D, Cangemi S, Cozzolino V, Tettamanti G, Ercolini D, Casartelli M, Caccia S. Plastics shape the black soldier fly larvae gut microbiome and select for biodegrading functions. MICROBIOME 2023; 11:205. [PMID: 37705113 PMCID: PMC10500907 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-023-01649-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the last few years, considerable attention has been focused on the plastic-degrading capability of insects and their gut microbiota in order to develop novel, effective, and green strategies for plastic waste management. Although many analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing are available, an in-depth analysis of the insect gut microbiome to identify genes with plastic-degrading potential is still lacking. RESULTS In the present work, we aim to fill this gap using Black Soldier Fly (BSF) as insect model. BSF larvae have proven capability to efficiently bioconvert a wide variety of organic wastes but, surprisingly, have never been considered for plastic degradation. BSF larvae were reared on two widely used plastic polymers and shotgun metagenomics was exploited to evaluate if and how plastic-containing diets affect composition and functions of the gut microbial community. The high-definition picture of the BSF gut microbiome gave access for the first time to the genomes of culturable and unculturable microorganisms in the gut of insects reared on plastics and revealed that (i) plastics significantly shaped bacterial composition at species and strain level, and (ii) functions that trigger the degradation of the polymer chains, i.e., DyP-type peroxidases, multicopper oxidases, and alkane monooxygenases, were highly enriched in the metagenomes upon exposure to plastics, consistently with the evidences obtained by scanning electron microscopy and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance analyses on plastics. CONCLUSIONS In addition to highlighting that the astonishing plasticity of the microbiota composition of BSF larvae is associated with functional shifts in the insect microbiome, the present work sets the stage for exploiting BSF larvae as "bioincubators" to isolate microbial strains and enzymes for the development of innovative plastic biodegradation strategies. However, most importantly, the larvae constitute a source of enzymes to be evolved and valorized by pioneering synthetic biology approaches. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca De Filippis
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
- Task Force on Microbiome Studies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Marco Bonelli
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniele Bruno
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Sequino
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
| | - Aurora Montali
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Marcella Reguzzoni
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Edoardo Pasolli
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
- Task Force on Microbiome Studies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Davide Savy
- Interdepartmental Research Centre of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance for the Environment, Agri-Food and New Materials (CERMANU), University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
| | - Silvana Cangemi
- Interdepartmental Research Centre of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance for the Environment, Agri-Food and New Materials (CERMANU), University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
| | - Vincenza Cozzolino
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Centre of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance for the Environment, Agri-Food and New Materials (CERMANU), University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
| | - Gianluca Tettamanti
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
- Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Environmental Technology (BAT Center), University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
| | - Danilo Ercolini
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy.
- Task Force on Microbiome Studies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
| | - Morena Casartelli
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
- Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Environmental Technology (BAT Center), University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy.
| | - Silvia Caccia
- Task Force on Microbiome Studies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
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25
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He L, Yang SS, Ding J, He ZL, Pang JW, Xing DF, Zhao L, Zheng HS, Ren NQ, Wu WM. Responses of gut microbiomes to commercial polyester polymer biodegradation in Tenebrio molitor Larvae. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 457:131759. [PMID: 37276692 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a mass-produced fossil-based plastic polymer that contributes to catastrophic levels of plastic pollution. Here we demonstrated that Tenebrio molitor (mealworms) was capable of rapidly biodegrading two commercial PET resins (microplastics) with respective weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of 39.33 and 29.43 kDa and crystallinity of 22.8 ± 3.06% and 18 ± 2.25%, resulting in an average mass reduction of 71.03% and 73.28% after passage of their digestive tract, and respective decrease by 9.22% and 11.36% in Mw of residual PET polymer in egested frass. Sequencing of 16 S rRNA gene amplicons of gut microbial communities showed that dominant bacterial genera were enriched and associated with PET degradation. Also, PICRUSt prediction exhibited that oxidases (monooxygenases and dioxygenases), hydrolases (cutinase, carboxylesterase and chitinase), and PET metabolic enzymes, and chemotaxis related functions were up-regulated in the PET-fed larvae. Additionally, metabolite analyses revealed that PET uptake caused alterations of stress response and plastic degradation related pathways, and lipid metabolism pathways in the T. molitor larvae could be reprogrammed when the larvae fed on PET. This study provides new insights into gut microbial community adaptation to PET diet under nutritional stress (especially nitrogen deficiency) and its contribution to PET degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei He
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Shan-Shan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
| | - Jie Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Zhi-Li He
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519080, China
| | - Ji-Wei Pang
- China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group, CECEP Talroad Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing 100096, China
| | - De-Feng Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Lei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - He-Shan Zheng
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar 161006, China
| | - Nan-Qi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China; School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Wei-Min Wu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, William & Cloy Codiga Resource Recovery Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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26
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Park JW, Kim M, Kim SY, Bae J, Kim TJ. Biodegradation of polystyrene by intestinal symbiotic bacteria isolated from mealworms, the larvae of Tenebrio molitor. Heliyon 2023; 9:e17352. [PMID: 37426801 PMCID: PMC10329137 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives Polystyrene is a plastic that leads to environmental pollution. In particular, expanded polystyrene is very light and takes up much space, causing additional environmental problems. The aim of this study was to isolate new symbiotic bacteria which degraded polystyrene from mealworms. Methods The population of polystyrene degrading bacteria was increased by enrichment culture of intestinal bacteria from mealworms with polystyrene as a sole carbon source. The degradation activity of isolated bacteria was evaluated by morphological change of micro-polystyrene particles and the surface change of polystyrene films. Results Eight isolated species (Acinetobacter septicus, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Klebsiella grimontii, Pseudomonas multiresinivorans, Pseudomonas nitroreducens, Pseudomonas plecoglossicida, Serratia marcescens, and Yokenella regensburgei) were identified that degrade polystyrene. Conclusion Bacterial identification shows that a broad spectrum of bacteria decomposing polystyrene coexists in the intestinal tract of mealworms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Won Park
- Department of Forest Products and Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Kookmin University, 77 Jeongneung-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02707, Republic of Korea
| | - Minjun Kim
- Department of Forest Products and Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Kookmin University, 77 Jeongneung-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02707, Republic of Korea
| | - Seo-Young Kim
- Department of Forest Products and Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Kookmin University, 77 Jeongneung-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02707, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihye Bae
- Department of Forest Products and Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Kookmin University, 77 Jeongneung-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02707, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Jong Kim
- Department of Forest Products and Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Kookmin University, 77 Jeongneung-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02707, Republic of Korea
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27
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Nyamjav I, Jang Y, Park N, Lee YE, Lee S. Physicochemical and Structural Evidence that Bacillus cereus Isolated from the Gut of Waxworms ( Galleria mellonella Larvae) Biodegrades Polypropylene Efficiently In Vitro. JOURNAL OF POLYMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT 2023; 31:1-14. [PMID: 37361349 PMCID: PMC10171730 DOI: 10.1007/s10924-023-02878-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Biodegradation of plastic waste using microorganisms has been proposed as one of the solutions to the increasing worldwide plastic waste. Polypropylene (PP) is the second most used plastic used in various industries, and it has been widely used in the production of personal protective equipment such as masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, biodegradation of PP becomes very important. Here, we present results on the physicochemical and structural studies of PP biodegradation by Bacillus cereus isolated from the gut of the waxworms, Galleria mellonella larvae. We also studied the biodegradability of PP by the gut microbiota compared with Bacillus cereus. We analyzed the microbial degradation of the PP surface using scanning electron microscopy and energy - dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and confirmed that the physical and chemical changes were caused by Bacillus cereus and the gut microbiota. The chemical structural changes were further investigated using X-ray photoelectron microscopy and Fourier - transform - infrared spectroscopy, and it was confirmed that the oxidation of the PP surface proceeded with the formation of carbonyl groups (C=O), ester groups (C-O), and hydroxyl groups (-OH) by Bacillus cereus. Additionally, the gut microbiota composed of diverse microbial species showed equal oxidation of PP compared to Bacillus cereus. More importantly, high temperature gel permeation chromatography (HT-GPC) analysis showed that Bacillus cereus exhibited quantitatively a higher biodegradability of PP compared to the gut microbiota. Our results suggest that Bacillus cereus possesses a complete set of enzymes required to initiate the oxidation of the carbon chain of PP and will be used to discover new enzymes and genes that are involved in degrading PP. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10924-023-02878-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indra Nyamjav
- Department of Brain Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu, 42988 Republic of Korea
| | - Yejin Jang
- School of Undergraduate Studies, College of Transdisciplinary Studies, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu, 42988 Republic of Korea
| | - Nohyoon Park
- School of Undergraduate Studies, College of Transdisciplinary Studies, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu, 42988 Republic of Korea
| | - Ye Eun Lee
- Department of Brain Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu, 42988 Republic of Korea
| | - Sukkyoo Lee
- Department of Brain Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu, 42988 Republic of Korea
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28
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Mamtimin T, Han H, Khan A, Feng P, Zhang Q, Ma X, Fang Y, Liu P, Kulshrestha S, Shigaki T, Li X. Gut microbiome of mealworms (Tenebrio molitor Larvae) show similar responses to polystyrene and corn straw diets. MICROBIOME 2023; 11:98. [PMID: 37147715 PMCID: PMC10161430 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-023-01550-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Some insects can degrade both natural and synthetic plastic polymers, their host and gut microbes play crucial roles in this process. However, there is still a scientific gap in understanding how the insect adapted to the polystyrene (PS) diet from natural feed. In this study, we analyzed diet consumption, gut microbiota responses, and metabolic pathways of Tenebrio molitor larvae exposed to PS and corn straw (CS). RESULTS T. molitor larvae were incubated under controlled conditions (25 ± 1 °C, 75 ± 5% humidity) for 30 days by using PS foam with weight-, number-, and size-average molecular weight (Mw, Mn, and Mz) of 120.0, 73.2, and 150.7 kDa as a diet, respectively. The larvae exhibited lower PS consumption (32.5%) than CS (52.0%), and these diets had no adverse effects on their survival. The gut microbiota structures, metabolic pathways, and enzymatic profiles of PS- and CS-fed larvae showed similar responses. The gut microbiota of larvae analysis indicated Serratia sp., Staphylococcus sp., and Rhodococcus sp. were associated with both PS and CS diets. Metatranscriptomic analysis revealed that xenobiotics, aromatic compounds, and fatty acid degradation pathways were enriched in PS- and CS-fed groups; laccase-like multicopper oxidases, cytochrome P450, monooxygenase, superoxidase, and dehydrogenase were involved in lignin and PS degradation. Furthermore, the upregulated gene lac640 in both PS- and CS-fed groups was overexpressed in E. coli and exhibited PS and lignin degradation ability. CONCLUSIONS The high similarity of gut microbiomes adapted to biodegradation of PS and CS indicated the plastics-degrading ability of the T. molitor larvae originated through an ancient mechanism that degrades the natural lignocellulose. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tursunay Mamtimin
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Huawen Han
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Center for Grassland Microbiome, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
| | - Aman Khan
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Pengya Feng
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiaobiao Ma
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yitian Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Pu Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Saurabh Kulshrestha
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, India
| | - Toshiro Shigaki
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Xiangkai Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
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29
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Cheng X, Xia M, Yang Y. Biodegradation of vulcanized rubber by a gut bacterium from plastic-eating mealworms. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 448:130940. [PMID: 36758440 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.130940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The disposal of vulcanized rubber waste is difficult due to the presence of three-dimensional crosslinking network structure. Here, we report that a bacterium Acinetobacter sp. BIT-H3, isolated from the gut of plastic-eating mealworm, can grow on and degrade vulcanized poly(cis-1,4-isoprene) rubber (vPR). Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) shows that strain BIT-H3 can penetrate into the vPR and produce craters and cracks. The tensile strength and the crosslink density of vPR decreased by 53.2% and 29.3% after ten weeks' incubation, respectively. The results of Horikx analysis, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy reveal that strain BIT-H3 can break down both sulfide bridges and double bonds of polymeric backbone within vPR. Sulfate and oligo(cis-1,4 isoprene) with terminal aldehyde and keto groups were identified as metabolic products released during vPR degradation. Through genomic and transcriptional analyses, five enzymes of dszA, dszC1, dszC2, Laccase2147, and Peroxidase1232 were found to be responsible for vPR degradation. Based on the chemical structure characterizations and molecular analyses, a vPR biodegradation pathway was proposed for strain BIT-H3. These findings pave a way for exploiting vulcanized rubber-degrading microorganisms from insect gut and contribute to establish a biodegradation method for vulcanized rubber waste disposal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotao Cheng
- Department of Biology, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, PR China
| | - Mengli Xia
- Department of Biology, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, PR China
| | - Yu Yang
- Department of Biology, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, PR China.
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30
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Zhang H, Liu Q, Wu H, Sun W, Lu Y. Biodegradation of polyethylene film by the Bacillus sp. PELW2042 from the guts of Tenebrio molitor (Mealworm Larvae). Process Biochem 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.procbio.2023.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
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31
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An R, Liu C, Wang J, Jia P. Recent Advances in Degradation of Polymer Plastics by Insects Inhabiting Microorganisms. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15051307. [PMID: 36904548 PMCID: PMC10007075 DOI: 10.3390/polym15051307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Plastic pollution endangers all natural ecosystems and living creatures on earth. Excessive reliance on plastic products and excessive production of plastic packaging are extremely dangerous for humans because plastic waste has polluted almost the entire world, whether it is in the sea or on the land. This review introduces the examination of pollution brought by non-degradable plastics, the classification and application of degradable materials, and the current situation and strategy to address plastic pollution and plastic degradation by insects, which mainly include Galleria mellonella, Zophobas atratus, Tenebrio molitor, and other insects. The efficiency of plastic degradation by insects, biodegradation mechanism of plastic waste, and the structure and composition of degradable products are reviewed. The development direction of degradable plastics in the future and plastic degradation by insects are prospected. This review provides effective ways to solve plastic pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongrong An
- School of Geographic and Biologic Information, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Chengguo Liu
- Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, Chinese Academy of Forestry, 16 Suojin North Road, Nanjing 210042, China
| | - Jun Wang
- School of Geographic and Biologic Information, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China
- Correspondence: (J.W.); (P.J.)
| | - Puyou Jia
- Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, Chinese Academy of Forestry, 16 Suojin North Road, Nanjing 210042, China
- Correspondence: (J.W.); (P.J.)
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Goveas LC, Nayak S, Kumar PS, Rangasamy G, Vidya SM, Vinayagam R, Selvaraj R, Vo DVN. Microplastics occurrence, detection and removal with emphasis on insect larvae gut microbiota. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 188:114580. [PMID: 36657228 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics have been identified in all living forms including human beings, the present need is to restrain its spread and devise measures to remediate microplastics from polluted ecosystems. In this regard, the present review emphasizes on the occurrence, sources detection and toxic effects of microplastics in various ecosystems. The removal of microplastics is prevalent by various physico-chemical and biological methods, although the removal efficiency by biological methods is low. It has been noted that the degradation of plastics by insect gut larvae is a well-known aspect, however, the underlying mechanism has not been completely identified. Studies conducted have shown the magnificent contribution of gut microbiota, which have been isolated and exploited for microplastic remediation. This review also focuses on this avenue, as it highlights the contribution of insect gut microbiota in microplastic degradation along with challenges faced and future prospects in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louella Concepta Goveas
- Nitte (Deemed to be University), NMAM Institute of Technology (NMAMIT), Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Nitte, India
| | - Sneha Nayak
- Nitte (Deemed to be University), NMAM Institute of Technology (NMAMIT), Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Nitte, India
| | - P Senthil Kumar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Chennai 603 110, India; Centre of Excellence in Water Research (CEWAR), Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Chennai 603 110, India; Department of Biotechnology Engineering and Food Technology, Chandigarh University, Mohali 140413, India; School of Engineering, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon.
| | - Gayathri Rangasamy
- School of Engineering, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon; Department of Sustainable Engineering, Institute of Biotechnology, Saveetha School of Engineering, SIMATS, Chennai 602105, India
| | - S M Vidya
- Nitte (Deemed to be University), NMAM Institute of Technology (NMAMIT), Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Nitte, India.
| | - Ramesh Vinayagam
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka 576104, India
| | - Raja Selvaraj
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka 576104, India.
| | - Dai Viet N Vo
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
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Yang XG, Wen PP, Yang YF, Jia PP, Li WG, Pei DS. Plastic biodegradation by in vitro environmental microorganisms and in vivo gut microorganisms of insects. Front Microbiol 2023; 13:1001750. [PMID: 36687617 PMCID: PMC9852869 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1001750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional plastics, such as polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyurethane (PUR), and other plastic polymers, are difficult to degrade and are gradually accumulated in the environment to cause a serious environmental problem, which is urgently needed to develop novel treatments or control technology. The biodegradation of plastics has gained great attention due to the advantages of green and safe characteristics. Microorganisms play a vital role in the biodegradation of plastics, including environmental microbes (in vitro) and gut microbes of insects (in vivo). Microbial degradation in environmental conditions in vitro is extremely slow for major plastics at degradation rates on the basis of a month or even a year time, but recent discoveries show that the fast biodegradation of specific plastics, such as PS, PE, and PUR, in some invertebrates, especially insects, could be enhanced at rates on basis of hours; the biodegradation in insects is likely to be gut microbial-dependent or synergetic bioreactions in animal digestive systems. This review comprehensively summarizes the latest 7-year (2016-2022) publications on plastic biodegradation by insects and microorganisms, elucidates the mechanism of plastic degradation in insects and environmental microbes, and highlights the cutting-edge perspectives for the potential applications of plastic biodegradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian-Guang Yang
- State Key Laboratory Base of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Ping-Ping Wen
- State Key Laboratory Base of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yi-Fan Yang
- State Key Laboratory Base of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Pan-Pan Jia
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wei-Guo Li
- State Key Laboratory Base of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
| | - De-Sheng Pei
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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Bhanot V, Panwar J. Unveiling the potential of Lichtheimia ramosa AJP11 for myco-transformation of polystyrene sulfonate and its driving molecular mechanism. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 325:116579. [PMID: 36302301 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Plastic pollution is a major environmental concern due to its deleterious effects on various ecosystems. The limitations and shortcomings of waste management strategies has led to the over-accumulation of plastic waste, mainly comprised of single-use plastics, such as polystyrene (PS). Considering the advantages of biotransformation over the other plastic disposal methods, it has become a major focus of the modern research. Biotransformation of plastics involves its microbial hydrolysis into short chain oligomers and monomers that are eventually assimilated as carbon source by the microbes leading to the release of CO2. As fungi are known to possess multifarious and highly regulated enzyme system capable of utilizing diverse nutrient sources, the present study explored the potential of Lichtheimia ramosa AJP11 towards myco-transformation of polystyrene sulfonate (PSS), a structural analogue of polystyrene (PS). During the 30-day incubation period of L. ramosa AJP11 in minimal salt medium (MSM)+1% PSS, the fungus showed 41.6% increment in its fresh weight biomass, indicating the utilization of PSS as sole carbon source. Further analysis revealed the generation of various reaction intermediates such as alkanes and fatty acids, crucial for the continuum of fungal metabolic pathways. Moreover, detection of PS oligomers such as cyclohexane and 2,4-DTBP confirmed the myco-transformation of PSS. The extracellular fungal protein profile showed considerable overexpression of a 14.4 kDa protein, characterized to be a hydrophobic surface binding (Hsb) protein, which is hypothesized to adsorb onto the PSS to facilitate its transformation. Further, in silico analysis of Hsb protein indicated it to be an amphiphilic α-helical protein with ability to bind styrene sulfonate unit via both hydrogen and hydrophobic interactions, with a binding energy of -5.02 kcal mol-1. These findings open new avenues for over expression of Hsb under controlled reactor conditions to accelerate the PS waste disposal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishalakshi Bhanot
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences, Pilani, 333031, Rajasthan, India
| | - Jitendra Panwar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences, Pilani, 333031, Rajasthan, India.
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Zhang L, Zhuang T, Hu M, Liu S, Wu D, Ji B. Gut microbiota contributes to lignocellulose deconstruction and nitrogen fixation of the larva of Apriona swainsoni. Front Physiol 2022; 13:1072893. [PMID: 36620205 PMCID: PMC9816477 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.1072893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Apriona swainsoni is a vital forest pest prevalent in China. The larvae of A. swainsoni live solely in the branches of trees and rely entirely on the xylem for nutrition. However, there is still a lack of in-depth research on the gut microbiota's use of almost nitrogen-free wood components to provide bio-organic macromolecular components needed for their growth. Thus, in this study, the metagenome, metaproteome, and metabolome of the A. swainsoni larvae in four gut segments (foregut; midgut; anterior hindgut; posterior hindgut) were analyzed by the multi-omics combined technology, to explore the metabolic utilization mechanism of the corresponding gut microbiota of A. swainsoni. Firstly, we found that the metagenome of different gut segments was not significantly different in general, but there were different combinations of dominant bacteria and genes in different gut segments, and the metaproteome and metabolome of four gut segments were significantly different in general. Secondly, the multi-omics results showed that there were significant gradient differences in the contents of cellulose and hemicellulose in different segments of A. swainsoni, and the expression of corresponding metabolic proteins was the highest in the midgut, suggesting the metabolic characteristics of these lignocellulose components in A. swainsoni gut segments. Finally, we found that the C/N ratio of woody food was significantly lower than that of frass, and metagenomic results showed that nitrogen fixation genes mainly existed in the foregut and two hindgut segments. The expression of the key nitrogen fixing gene nifH occurred in two hindgut parts, indicating the feature of nitrogen fixation of A. swainsoni. In conclusion, our results provide direct evidence that the larvae of A. swainsoni can adapt to the relatively harsh niche conditions through the highly organized gut microbiome in four gut segments, and may play a major role in their growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- Co-Innovation Center for the Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Tian Zhuang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Mengxue Hu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Shuwen Liu
- The Administration Bureau of Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum, Nanjing, China
| | - Daqiang Wu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China,*Correspondence: Baozhong Ji, ; Daqiang Wu,
| | - Baozhong Ji
- Co-Innovation Center for the Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China,*Correspondence: Baozhong Ji, ; Daqiang Wu,
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Lou H, Fu R, Long T, Fan B, Guo C, Li L, Zhang J, Zhang G. Biodegradation of polyethylene by Meyerozyma guilliermondii and Serratia marcescens isolated from the gut of waxworms (larvae of Plodia interpunctella). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 853:158604. [PMID: 36089048 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The widespread use of polyethylene (PE) causes a large amount of indigestible plastic waste. Waxworms (the larvae of Plodia interpunctella) can eat PE, but the degradation principle of PE under the action of intestinal microorganisms is still unclear, especially the insufficient research on key degradable PE strains. In this study, we fed waxworms with PE. Two strains with high PE degradation efficiency were isolated and purified, and the effects of single and microbial consortia on PE degradation were evaluated by water contact angle (WCA), FTIR, GC-MS, SEM and RT-qPCR. The results showed that Meyerozyma guilliermondii ZJC1 (MgZJC1) and Serratia marcescens ZJC2 (SmZJC2) could degrade PE. However, the degradation efficiency of the microbial consortium was higher, and the weight loss rate of PE was 15.87 %. In addition, the PE degradation products of MgZJC1 were C9H10O, C20H15NO, C28H44O3 and C16H32O2, and the PE degradation products of SmZJC2 were C16H18O, C14H18N2O7 and C31H48O6. The PE degradation products of the microbial consortium were C11H24, C19H10O, C15H32, C14H30, C16H34, C25H52 and C27H56. RT-qPCR results showed that SmZJC2 promoted PE degradation by upregulating the expression of multiple genes, such as multicopper oxidase genes (PiSm-CueO). MgZJC1 responded to carbon deficiency by upregulating the expression of multiple genes, such as key enzyme genes in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. This study can be used to develop an efficient microbial consortium for PE degradation and provide a basis for the reuse of PE waste. It can also provide a research basis for the joint degradation of PE by microbial consortia composed of bacteria and fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hu Lou
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China; School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Rao Fu
- School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Tianyi Long
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Baozhen Fan
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Chao Guo
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Lili Li
- Institute of Forestry Science of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China.
| | - Guocai Zhang
- School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China.
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Liu Z, Zhao J, Lu K, Wang Z, Yin L, Zheng H, Wang X, Mao L, Xing B. Biodegradation of Graphene Oxide by Insects ( Tenebrio molitor Larvae): Role of the Gut Microbiome and Enzymes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:16737-16747. [PMID: 36379022 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c03342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Biodegradation of graphene materials is critical for understanding their environmental process and fate. Thus, biodegradation and mineralization of graphene oxide (GO) by an insect (yellow mealworms, Tenebrio molitor larvae) were investigated. Twenty mealworms could eat up a piece of GO film (1.5 × 1.5 cm) in 15 days. The ingested GO film underwent degradation, and the residual GO sheets were observed in the frass. Raman imaging confirmed that the residual GO (ID/IG, 1.16) was more defective than the pristine GO film (ID/IG, 0.95). 14C analysis showed that GO sheets were partially mineralized into CO2 (0.26%) and assimilated into biomass compositions (e.g., lipid and protein) (0.36%). Gut microbes and extracellular enzymes in yellow mealworms played crucial roles in GO degradation, and the predominant gut microbes for GO biodegradation were identified as Enterobacteriaceae bacteria (e.g., Escherichia-Shigella sp.). Two biodegradation products belonging to hydroxylated or carboxylated aromatic compounds were formed with the assistance of electrons and hydroxyl radicals in mealworm guts. These findings are useful for better understanding the environmental and biological fate of graphene materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuomiao Liu
- Institute of Coastal Environmental Pollution Control, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, and Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
- Stockbridge School of Agriculture, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Jian Zhao
- Institute of Coastal Environmental Pollution Control, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, and Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
- Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Kun Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Zhenyu Wang
- Institute of Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, and School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Liyun Yin
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, China
| | - Hao Zheng
- Institute of Coastal Environmental Pollution Control, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, and Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Institute of Coastal Environmental Pollution Control, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, and Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Liang Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Baoshan Xing
- Stockbridge School of Agriculture, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
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Peng BY, Sun Y, Xiao S, Chen J, Zhou X, Wu WM, Zhang Y. Influence of Polymer Size on Polystyrene Biodegradation in Mealworms ( Tenebrio molitor): Responses of Depolymerization Pattern, Gut Microbiome, and Metabolome to Polymers with Low to Ultrahigh Molecular Weight. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:17310-17320. [PMID: 36350780 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Biodegradation of polystyrene (PS) in mealworms (Tenebrio molitor lavae) has been identified with commercial PS foams. However, there is currently limited understanding of the influence of molecular weight (MW) on insect-mediated plastic biodegradation and the corresponding responses of mealworms. In this study, we provided the results of PS biodegradation, gut microbiome, and metabolome by feeding mealworms with high-purity PS microplastics with a wide variety of MW. Over 24 days, mealworms (50 individuals) fed with 0.20 g of PS showed decreasing removal of 74.1 ± 1.7, 64.1 ± 1.6, 64.4 ± 4.0, 73.5 ± 0.9, 60.6 ± 2.6, and 39.7 ± 4.3% for PS polymers with respective weight-average molecular weights (Mw) of 6.70, 29.17, 88.63, 192.9, 612.2, and 1346 kDa. The mealworms degraded most PS polymers via broad depolymerization but ultrahigh-MW PS via limited-extent depolymerization. The gut microbiome was strongly associated with biodegradation, but that with low- and medium-MW PS was significantly distinct from that with ultrahigh-MW PS. Metabolomic analysis indicated that PS biodegradation reprogrammed the metabolome and caused intestinal dysbiosis depending on MW. Our findings demonstrate that mealworms alter their gut microbiome and intestinal metabolic pathways in response to in vivo biodegradation of PS polymers of various MWs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Yu Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Ying Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Shaoze Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Jiabin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xuefei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Wei-Min Wu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, William & Cloy Codiga Resource Recovery Center, Center for Sustainable Development & Global Competitiveness, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-4020, United States
| | - Yalei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
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Jiménez‐Arroyo C, Tamargo A, Molinero N, Moreno‐Arribas MV. The gut microbiota, a key to understanding the health implications of micro(nano)plastics and their biodegradation. Microb Biotechnol 2022; 16:34-53. [PMID: 36415969 PMCID: PMC9803334 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The effects of plastic debris on the environment and plant, animal, and human health are a global challenge, with micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) being the main focus. MNPs are found so often in the food chain that they are provoking an increase in human intake. They have been detected in most categories of consumed foods, drinking water, and even human feces. Therefore, oral ingestion becomes the main source of exposure to MNPs, and the gastrointestinal tract, primarily the gut, constantly interacts with these small particles. The consequences of human exposure to MNPs remain unclear. However, current in vivo studies and in vitro gastrointestinal tract models have shown that MNPs of several types and sizes impact gut intestinal bacteria, affecting gut homeostasis. The typical microbiome signature of MNP ingestion is often associated with dysbiosis and loss of resilience, leads to frequent pathogen outbreaks, and local and systemic metabolic disorders. Moreover, the small micro- and nano-plastic particles found in animal tissues with accumulated evidence of microbial degradation of plastics/MNPs by bacteria and insect gut microbiota raise the issue of whether human gut bacteria make key contributions to the bio-transformation of ingested MNPs. Here, we discuss these issues and unveil the complex interplay between MNPs and the human gut microbiome. Therefore, the elucidation of the biological consequences of this interaction on both host and microbiota is undoubtedly challenging. It is expected that microbial biotechnology and microbiome research could help decipher the extent to which gut microorganisms diversify and MNP-determinant species, mechanisms, and enzymatic systems, as well as become important to understand our response to MNP exposure and provide background information to inspire future holistic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alba Tamargo
- Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias de la Alimentación (CIAL)CSIC‐UAMMadridSpain
| | - Natalia Molinero
- Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias de la Alimentación (CIAL)CSIC‐UAMMadridSpain
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40
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Wang X, Tang T. Effects of Polystyrene Diet on the Growth and Development of Tenebrio molitor. TOXICS 2022; 10:608. [PMID: 36287887 PMCID: PMC9610515 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10100608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, the role of Tenebrio molitor in degrading polystyrene foam through its gut microbes has become the focus of research. However, little literature has reported the effect of feeding on polystyrene foam on the growth and development of Tenebrio molitor. In this study, we investigated the impacts of different polystyrene by evaluating the vital signs of Tenebrio molitor fed in the intestines and excrement fluids using RNA-Seq t.echnology and then verifying the transcriptome sequencing findings using qRT-PCR technology. The average weight of Tenebrio molitor larvae in the wheat bran group increased significantly. Tenebrio molitor larvae in the PS group, on the other hand, didn't grow as much and had a much lower average weight than those in the wheat bran group. Compared to the bran group, the excrement of Tenebrio molitor fed only on polystyrene foam was flaky and coarse, increased nitrogen and phosphorus atomic concentration ratios by about 50%, decreased potassium atomic concentration ratios by 63%, with the enterocytes and circular muscle of Tenebrio molitor falling as well. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment indicated that the differential genes were mainly related to metabolic pathways. There was an agreement between qRT-PCR and RNA-Seq analyses for the growth and development genes chitinase, heat shock protein 70, and cytochrome P450. Only feeding polystyrene foam shall lead to the growth and development retardation of Tenebrio molitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaosu Wang
- School of Tropical Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China
| | - Tianle Tang
- School of Tropical Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China
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Liu J, Liu J, Xu B, Xu A, Cao S, Wei R, Zhou J, Jiang M, Dong W. Biodegradation of polyether-polyurethane foam in yellow mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) and effects on the gut microbiome. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 304:135263. [PMID: 35697110 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Polyurethane (PU) is one of the mass-produced recalcitrant plastics with a high environmental resistance but extremely low biodegradability. Therefore, improperly disposed PU waste adds significantly to plastic pollution, which must be addressed immediately. In recent years, there has been an increasing number of reports on plastic biodegradation in insect larvae, especially those that can feed on polyethylene and polystyrene. This study revealed that yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) larvae can chew and ingest polyether-PU foams efficiently, resulting in a significant mass loss of nearly 67% after 35 days at a similar survival rate compared to when fed on bran. However, polyether-PU fragments were found in the frass of T. molitor, indicating that polyether-PU biodegradation and bioconversion in intestinal tracts were not complete. The scission of ether and urethane bonds in the polyether-PU can be evidenced by comparing polymer fragments recovered from frass with the pristine ones using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Gel permeation chromatography suggested the release of low-molecular-weight oligomers as a result of the biodegradation, which also resulted in poor thermal stability of the polyether-PU foam as determined by thermogravimetric analysis. High-throughput sequencing of the gut microbiome revealed significant changes in the microbial community populations due to the polyether-PU diet, for example, an increase in the families Enterobacteriaceae and Streptococcaceae, suggesting that these microorganisms may contribute to the polyether-PU biodegradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211800, PR China
| | - Jingyuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211800, PR China
| | - Bin Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211800, PR China
| | - Anming Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211800, PR China
| | - Shixiang Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211800, PR China
| | - Ren Wei
- Junior Research Group Plastic Biodegradation, Department of Biotechnology and Enzyme Catalysis, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Jie Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211800, PR China.
| | - Min Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211800, PR China
| | - Weiliang Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211800, PR China.
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Wang J, Wang Y, Li X, Weng Y, Dong X, Zhao X. Comparison on the effectiveness of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FT-IR) in characterizing plastics biodegradation by insect larvae. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 839:156289. [PMID: 35644389 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The discovery that insect larvae can feed on foam plastics provided new exploration ideas and potential for plastic wastes biodegradation. In previous studies, both attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FT-IR) and conventional FT-IR have been used but no comparison has been done to evaluate the difference of effectiveness for the characterization of oxidization and biodegradation of plastics by insect larvae. To address this, foam plastics of polystyrene, polyurethane and polyethylene, as well as the frass of plastics-fed superworms Zophobas atratus were characterized using both FT-IR and ATR-FT-IR, and the differences were compared. For FT-IR, spectra were found to vary due to the difference in shape and thickness of the samples, as well as the moisture absorption of KBr. For ATR-FT-IR, although tests could be performed directly without pretreatment, the reflection with short wavelength could not deeply penetrate into the frass samples. Since the composition of plastics-fed larval frass is more complex than the original plastics, the spectra of FT-IR and ATR-FT-IR were observed significantly different. Therefore, the ATR-FT-IR was more effective in monitoring functional groups of original plastics, and be recommended to employ in combination with FT-IR for a more comprehensive characterization of plastics-fed larval frass in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaming Wang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
| | - Yumeng Wang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
| | - Yue Weng
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
| | - Xiaoying Dong
- Panjin Institute of Industrial Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China.
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Chow J, Perez‐Garcia P, Dierkes R, Streit WR. Microbial enzymes will offer limited solutions to the global plastic pollution crisis. Microb Biotechnol 2022; 16:195-217. [PMID: 36099200 PMCID: PMC9871534 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Global economies depend on the use of fossil-fuel-based polymers with 360-400 million metric tons of synthetic polymers being produced per year. Unfortunately, an estimated 60% of the global production is disposed into the environment. Within this framework, microbiologists have tried to identify plastic-active enzymes over the past decade. Until now, this research has largely failed to deliver functional biocatalysts acting on the commodity polymers such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC), ether-based polyurethane (PUR), polyamide (PA), polystyrene (PS) and synthetic rubber (SR). However, few enzymes are known to act on low-density and low-crystalline (amorphous) polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and ester-based PUR. These above-mentioned polymers represent >95% of all synthetic plastics produced. Therefore, the main challenge microbiologists are currently facing is in finding polymer-active enzymes targeting the majority of fossil-fuel-based plastics. However, identifying plastic-active enzymes either to implement them in biotechnological processes or to understand their potential role in nature is an emerging research field. The application of these enzymes is still in its infancy. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on microbial plastic-active enzymes, their global distribution and potential impact on plastic degradation in industrial processes and nature. We further outline major challenges in finding novel plastic-active enzymes, optimizing known ones by synthetic approaches and problems arising through falsely annotated and unfiltered use of database entries. Finally, we highlight potential biotechnological applications and possible re- and upcycling concepts using microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Chow
- Department of Microbiology and BiotechnologyUniversity of HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Pablo Perez‐Garcia
- Department of Microbiology and BiotechnologyUniversity of HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Robert Dierkes
- Department of Microbiology and BiotechnologyUniversity of HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Wolfgang R. Streit
- Department of Microbiology and BiotechnologyUniversity of HamburgHamburgGermany
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Wang Y, Luo L, Li X, Wang J, Wang H, Chen C, Guo H, Han T, Zhou A, Zhao X. Different plastics ingestion preferences and efficiencies of superworm (Zophobas atratus Fab.) and yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor Linn.) associated with distinct gut microbiome changes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 837:155719. [PMID: 35526626 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Larvae of superworms (Zophobas atratus Fab.) and yellow mealworms (Tenebrio molitor Linn.) can survive on sole plastic diets. However, no side-by-side comparison of plastics degradation by both species is available yet. Here, superworms and yellow mealworms were fed with polystyrene (PS) or polyurethane (PU) foam plastics as sole diets for 35 days with bran as control. Superworms survived 100% on all diets but decreased weights were observed after 20 days with sole plastic diets. In contrast, yellow mealworms survived 84.67% or 62.67% with PS or PU diet, respectively, both plastics diet groups showed increased weights. Cumulative consumption of plastics by superworms were 49.24 mg-PS/larva and 26.23 mg-PU/larva, which were 18 and 11 folds of that of yellow mealworms, respectively. When converted into mg/g-larvae, superworms had a higher PS consumption rate but both species had similar PU consumption rates. Similar changes of the plastic chemical functional groups in frass indicated occurrences of oxidation and biodegradation of plastics in the guts of both species. Changes of gut microbial communities were found associated with plastics feedstocks and larvae species. The increased relative abundances of unclassified Enterobacteriaceae, Klebsiella, Enterococcus, Dysgonomonas and Sphingobacterium were strongly associated with PS diet in superworms, while Hafnia was strongly associated with PS diet in yellow mealworms. Enterococcus and Mangrovibacter were dominant in PU-fed superworm guts, while unclassified Enterobacteriaceae and Hafnia were strongly associated with PU feeding in yellow mealworms. The results demonstrated that different plastics ingestion preferences and efficiencies of both species were associated with distinct dominant microbiomes although similar changes of chemical groups in plastics were observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumeng Wang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
| | - Liping Luo
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
| | - Jiaming Wang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
| | - Hongxuan Wang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
| | - Chen Chen
- Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Hongqin Guo
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
| | - Tianfang Han
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
| | - Aifen Zhou
- Institute for Environmental Genomics, Department of Microbiology & Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman 73019, USA
| | - Xin Zhao
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China.
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Effect of Probiotics on Host-Microbiota in Bacterial Infections. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11090986. [PMID: 36145418 PMCID: PMC9500725 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11090986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Diseases caused by bacteria cause millions of deaths every year. In addition, the problem of resistance to antibiotics is so serious that it threatens the achievements of modern medicine. This is a very important global problem as some bacteria can also develop persistence. Indeed, the persistence of pathogenic bacteria has evolved as a potent survival strategy to overcome host organisms’ defense mechanisms. Additionally, chronic or persistent infections may be caused by persisters which could facilitate antibiotic resistance. Probiotics are considered good bacteria. It has been described that the modulation of gut microbiota by probiotics could have a great potential to counteract the deleterious impact and/or regulate gut microbiota after bacterial infection. Probiotics might provide health benefits through the inhibition of pathogen growth or the replacement of pathogenic bacteria. Bearing in mind that current strategies to avoid bacterial persistence and prevent antibiotic resistance are not effective, other strategies need to be assessed. We have carried out a comprehensive review, which included the reported literature between 2016 and 2021, highlighting the clinical trials that reported the probiotics’ potential to regulate gut microbiota after bacterial infection and focusing in particular on the context of antibiotic resistance and persister cells.
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46
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Du Y, Yao C, Dou M, Wu J, Su L, Xia W. Oxidative degradation of pre-oxidated polystyrene plastics by dye decolorizing peroxidases from Thermomonospora curvata and Nostocaceae. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 436:129265. [PMID: 35739782 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Biodegradation of PS has attracted lots of public attentions due to its environmental friendliness. However, no specific PS degrading enzyme has been identified yet. Dye decolorizing peroxidases (DyPs) are heme-containing peroxidases named for the ability to degrade a variety of organic dyes. Herein, the abilities of two DyPs from Thermomonospora curvata (TcDyP) and Nostocaceae (AnaPX) to degrade PS were evaluated. Preoxidation methods by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and chemical oxidants were developed to initially activate C-C bonds in the PS skeleton. DyPs degradation caused obvious etching and enhanced hydrophilicity of UV-PS films, and also generated new CO and C-OH groups. The cleavage of activated C-C bonds by DyPs was experimentally proven by analyzing the degradation products of UV-PS and model substrates. Furthermore, better pre-oxidation was obtained by using chemical oxidants KMnO4/H2SO4 and mCPBA to oxidize PS materials in dissolved state. And AnaPX exhibited stronger degradation effects on KMnO4/H2SO4-PS and mCPBA-PS by causing greater changes in functional groups CO, C-O, -OH groups and substituted benzenes and higher molecular weight reductions of 19.7% and 31.0%, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the identification of PS-degrading enzymes that provides experimental evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyi Du
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, China; School of Biotechnology and Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, China; International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Congyu Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, China; School of Biotechnology and Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, China; International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Mingde Dou
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, China; School of Biotechnology and Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, China; International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Jing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, China; School of Biotechnology and Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, China; International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Lingqia Su
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, China; School of Biotechnology and Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, China; International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Wei Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, China; School of Biotechnology and Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, China; International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, China.
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Tsochatzis ED, Berggreen IE, Vidal NP, Roman L, Gika H, Corredig M. Cellular lipids and protein alteration during biodegradation of expanded polystyrene by mealworm larvae under different feeding conditions. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 300:134420. [PMID: 35367488 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The present study reports the biodegradation of polystyrene (PS) by mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) following different feeding regimes. Changes in lipids and protein were studied to evaluate possible differences in the growth and metabolic pathways of the insects depending on the diets. Thermo-gravimetric analysis of the excretions (frass) revealed a decrease in the molecular mass of the PS polymers. The insects' biomass contained less protein when PS was part of the diet, suggesting that the insects undergo a certain level of stress compared to control diets. The frass also contained lower amount of nitrogen content compared to that from insects fed a control diet. NH4+ and other cations involved in biochemical processes were also measured in insects' frass, including potassium, sodium, magnesium, and calcium, combined with a small pH change. The decrease in the mineral content of the frass was attributed to increased cellular activity in PS-fed insects. A higher amount of ceramides and cardiolipins, biomarkers of apoptosis, were also found in association with PS consumption. It was concluded that the insects could metabolize PS, but this caused an increase in its stress levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- E D Tsochatzis
- Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Agro Food Park 48, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark; CiFOOD, Centre for Innovative Food Research, Aarhus University, Agro Food Park 48, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark.
| | - I E Berggreen
- Aarhus University, Department of Animal Science, Blichers Alle 20, 8830, Tjele, Denmark
| | - N Prieto Vidal
- Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Agro Food Park 48, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark; CiFOOD, Centre for Innovative Food Research, Aarhus University, Agro Food Park 48, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark; Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies (AIAS), Aarhus University, DK-8000, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - L Roman
- Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Agro Food Park 48, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark; CiFOOD, Centre for Innovative Food Research, Aarhus University, Agro Food Park 48, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - H Gika
- Food Omics GR Research Infrastructure, AUTh Node, Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (CIRI-AUTH), Balkan Center B1.4, 10th Km Thessaloniki-Thermi Rd, P.O. Box 8318, GR 57001, Thessaloniki, Greece; School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - M Corredig
- Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Agro Food Park 48, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark; CiFOOD, Centre for Innovative Food Research, Aarhus University, Agro Food Park 48, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark
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Cucini C, Funari R, Mercati D, Nardi F, Carapelli A, Marri L. Polystyrene shaping effect on the enriched bacterial community from the plastic-eating Alphitobius diaperinus (Insecta: Coleoptera). Symbiosis 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s13199-022-00847-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AbstractPlastic pollution has become a serious issue of global concern, and biodegradation of plastic wastes is representing one attractive environment-friendly alternative to traditional disposal paths. It is known that insects are involved in the plastic polymer degradation process, with reported evidence of tenebrionid beetle larvae capable to degrade polystyrene (PS), one of the most used plastics worldwide. Recently, a ribosomal RNA based survey on the insect gut microbiota of the lesser mealworm Alphitobius diaperinus has revealed differentially abundant microbial taxa between PS-fed larvae and control group. Following these findings, an enrichment bacterial culture was set up in liquid carbon-free basal medium with PS film as sole carbon source using PS-fed larvae of A. diaperinus as inoculum. After two-months the culture was analysed both by molecular and culture-based methods. Isolated bacteria which had become prevalent under the selective enrichment conditions resulted ascribable to three taxonomic groups: Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, and Stenothrophomonas. The predominance of these groups in PS-fed larvae was confirmed by using bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, and it was consistent with the results of previous reports. Isolated bacteria were able to attach to PS surfaces and SEM observations showed the presence of thin fibrillar structures connecting the bacterial cells to the abiotic surface.
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49
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Zhang Y, Pedersen JN, Eser BE, Guo Z. Biodegradation of polyethylene and polystyrene: From microbial deterioration to enzyme discovery. Biotechnol Adv 2022; 60:107991. [PMID: 35654281 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.107991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The global production of plastics has continuously been soaring over the last decades due to their extensive use in our daily life and in industries. Although synthetic plastics offer great advantages from packaging to construction and electronics, their low biodegradability induce serious plastic pollution that damage the environment, human health and make irreversible changes in the ecological cycle. In particular, plastics containing only carbon-carbon (C-C) backbone are less susceptible to degradation due to the lack of hydrolysable groups. The representative polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS) account for about 40% of the total plastic production. Various chemical and biological processes with great potential have been developed for plastic recycle and reuse, but biodegradation seems to be the most attractive and eco-friendly method to combat this growing environmental problem. In this review, we first summarize the current advances in PE and PS biodegradation, including isolation of microbes and potential degrading enzymes from different sources. Next, the state-of-the-art techniques used for evaluating and monitoring PE and PS degradation, the scientific toolboxes for enzyme discovery as well as the challenges and strategies for plastic biodegradation are intensively discussed. In return, it inspires a further technological exploration in expanding the diversity of species and enzymes, disclosing the essential pathways and developing new approaches to utilize plastic waste as feedstock for recycling and upcycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Bekir Engin Eser
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Zheng Guo
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
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50
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Pivato AF, Miranda GM, Prichula J, Lima JEA, Ligabue RA, Seixas A, Trentin DS. Hydrocarbon-based plastics: Progress and perspectives on consumption and biodegradation by insect larvae. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 293:133600. [PMID: 35031254 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The obvious contrast between the remarkable durability and the high consumption of plastic products leads to the deposition of at least 100 million tons of plastics per year in nature. Since 2010, several studies have shown the potential of insect larvae to biodegrade different types of plastics, at higher rates than those reported for microorganisms. This review discusses a compilation of studies about the consumption and biodegradation of hydrocarbon-based plastics, particularly PE, PS, PP and PVC, by lepidopteran and coleopteran larvae. Insects of the Coleoptera order seem to have a better adaptation for PS biodegradation, while those of the Lepidoptera order can better biodegrade PE. Tenebrio molitor biomineralize PE and PS into CO2, and PVC into HCl; while Tenebrio obscurus and Zophobas atratus converts PE and PS into CO2, respectively. Plastic biodegradation by T. molitor has been shown to be dependent on microbiota, exception for PE. Similar PS and PE biodegradation profile has been shown for T. obscurus. PS, PP and PE biodegradation by Z. atratus is also reported to be microbial-dependent. For Galleria mellonella, microbial role on PE biodegradation is still controversial, but the PS metabolism was proved to be microbiota-independent. Advances in this field has stimulated new studies with other insect species, which need to be better explored. Uncovering and understanding the chemical processes behind the innate plastic biodegradation by insect larvae will open the perspective to new eco-friendly innovative biotechnological solutions for the challenge of plastic waste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andressa F Pivato
- Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Gabriela M Miranda
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Escola Politécnica, Laboratório de Organometálicos e Resinas, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Janira Prichula
- Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Jeane E A Lima
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Escola Politécnica, Laboratório de Organometálicos e Resinas, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Rosane A Ligabue
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Escola Politécnica, Laboratório de Organometálicos e Resinas, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Adriana Seixas
- Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Departamento de Farmacociências, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Danielle S Trentin
- Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
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