Asp-tRNAAsn/Glu-tRNAGln amidotransferase A subunit-like amidase mediates the degradation of insecticide flonicamid by Variovorax boronicumulans CGMCC 4969

The main metabolic product of the pyridinecarboxamide insecticide flonicamid, N-(4-trifluoromethylnicotinyl)glycinamide (TFNG-AM), has been shown to have very high mobility in soil, leading to its accumulation in the environment. Catabolic pathways of flonicamid have been widely reported, but few studies have focused on the metabolism of TFNG-AM. Here, the rapid transformation of TFNG-AM and production of the corresponding acid product N-(4-trifluoromethylnicotinoyl) glycine (TFNG) by the plant growth-promoting bacterium Variovorax boronicumulans CGMCC 4969 were investigated. With TFNG-AM at an initial concentration of 0.86 mmol/L, 90.70 % was transformed by V. boronicumulans CGMCC 4969 resting cells within 20 d, with a degradation half-life of 4.82 d. A novel amidase that potentially mediated this transformation process, called AmiD, was identified by bioinformatic analyses. The gene encoding amiD was cloned and expressed recombinantly in Escherichia coli, and the enzyme AmiD was characterized. Key amino acid residue Val154, which is associated with the catalytic activity and substrate specificity of signature family amidases, was identified for the first time by homology modeling, structural alignment, and site-directed mutagenesis analyses. When compared to wild-type recombinant AmiD, the mutant AmiD V154G demonstrated a 3.08-fold increase in activity toward TFNG-AM. The activity of AmiD V154G was greatly increased toward aromatic L-phenylalanine amides, heterocyclic TFNG-AM and IAM, and aliphatic asparagine, whereas it was dramatically lowered toward benzamide, phenylacetamide, nicotinamide, acetamide, acrylamide, and hexanamid. Quantitative PCR analysis revealed that AmiD may be a substrate-inducible enzyme in V. boronicumulans CGMCC 4969. The mechanism of transcriptional regulation of AmiD by a member of the AraC family of regulators encoded upstream of the amiD gene was preliminarily investigated. This study deepens our understanding of the mechanisms of metabolism of toxic amides in the environment, providing new ideas for microbial bioremediation.

Remediation technologies for neonicotinoids in contaminated environments: Current state and future prospects

Neonicotinoids (NEOs) are synthetic insecticides with broad-spectrum insecticidal activity and outstanding efficacy. However, their extensive use and persistence in the environment have resulted in the accumulation and biomagnification of NEOs, posing significant risks to non-target organisms and humans. This review provides a summary of research history, advancements, and highlighted topics in NEOs remediation technologies and mechanisms. Various remediation approaches have been developed, including physiochemical, microbial, and phytoremediation, with microbial and physicochemical remediation being the most extensively studied. Recent advances in physiochemical remediation have led to the development of innovative adsorbents, photocatalysts, and optimized treatment processes. High-efficiency degrading strains with well-characterized metabolic pathways have been successfully isolated and cultured for microbial remediation, while many plant species have shown great potential for phytoremediation. However, significant challenges and gaps remain in this field. Future research should prioritize isolating, domesticating or engineering high efficiency, broad-spectrum microbial strains for NEO degradation, as well as developing synergistic remediation techniques to enhance removal efficiency on multiple NEOs with varying concentrations in different environmental media. Furthermore, a shift from pipe-end treatment to pollution prevention strategies is needed, including the development of green and economically efficient alternatives such as biological insecticides. Integrated remediation technologies and case-specific strategies that can be applied to practical remediation projects need to be developed, along with clarifying NEO degradation mechanisms to improve remediation efficiency. The successful implementation of these strategies will help reduce the negative impact of NEOs on the environment and human health.

RNA-Seq analysis of Phanerochaete sordida YK-624 degrades neonicotinoid pesticide acetamiprid

Acetamiprid (ACE) belongs to the group of neonicotinoid pesticides, which have become the most widely utilised pesticides around the world in the last two decades. The ability of Phanerochaete sordida YK-624 to degrade ACE under ligninolytic conditions has been demonstrated; however, the functional genes involved in ACE degradation have not been fully elucidated. In the present study, the differentially expressed genes of P. sordida YK-624 under ACE-degrading conditions and in the absence of ACE were elucidated by RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). Based on the gene ontology enrichment results, the cell wall and cell membrane were significantly affected under ACE-degrading conditions. This result suggested that intracellular degradation of ACE might be mediated by this fungus. In addition, genes in metabolic pathways were the most enriched upregulated differentially expressed genes according to the KEGG pathway analysis. Eleven differentially expressed genes characterised as cytochrome P450s were upregulated, and these genes were determined to be particularly important for ACE degradation by P. sordida YK-624 under ligninolytic conditions.

Biodegradation of sulfoxaflor and photolysis of sulfoxaflor by ultraviolet radiation

Sulfoxaflor (SUL, [N-[methyloxido[1-[6-(trifluoromethyl)-3-pyridinyl] ethyl]-λ⁴-sulfanylidene] cyanamide]) is a widely used systemic insecticide, and its residue has frequently been detected in the environment, posing a potential threat to the environment. In this study, Pseudaminobacter salicylatoxidans CGMCC 1.17248 rapidly converted SUL into X11719474 via a hydration pathway mediated by two nitrile hydratases (AnhA and AnhB). Extensive (96.4%) degradation of 0.83 mmol/L SUL was achieved by P. salicylatoxidans CGMCC 1.17248 resting cells within 30 min (half-life of SUL 6.4 min). Cell immobilization by entrapment into calcium alginate remediated 82.8% of the SUL in 90 min, and almost no SUL was observed in surface water after incubation for 3 h. P. salicylatoxidans NHases AnhA and AnhB both hydrolyzed SUL to X11719474, although AnhA exhibited much better catalytic performance. The genome sequence of P. salicylatoxidans CGMCC 1.17248 revealed that this strain could efficiently eliminate nitrile-containing insecticides and adapt to harsh environments. We firstly found that UV irradiation transforms SUL to the derivatives X11719474 and X11721061, and the potential reaction pathways were proposed. These results further deepen our understanding of the mechanisms of SUL degradation as well as the environmental fate of SUL.

Environmental occurrence, toxicity concerns, and biodegradation of neonicotinoid insecticides

Neonicotinoids (NEOs) are fourth generation pesticides, which emerged after organophosphates, pyrethroids, and carbamates and they are widely used in vegetables, fruits, cotton, rice, and other industrial crops to control insect pests. NEOs are considered ideal substitutes for highly toxic pesticides. Multiple studies have reported NEOs have harmful impacts on non-target biological targets, such as bees, aquatic animals, birds, and mammals. Thus, the remediation of neonicotinoid-sullied environments has gradually become a concern. Microbial degradation is a key natural method for eliminating neonicotinoid insecticides, as biodegradation is an effective, practical, and environmentally friendly strategy for the removal of pesticide residues. To date, several neonicotinoid-degrading strains have been isolated from the environment, including Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Bacillus thuringiensis, Ensifer meliloti, Pseudomonas stutzeri, Variovorax boronicumulans, and Fusarium sp., and their degradation properties have been investigated. Furthermore, the metabolism and degradation pathways of neonicotinoids have been broadly detailed. Imidacloprid can form 6-chloronicotinic acid via the oxidative cleavage of guanidine residues, and it is then finally converted to non-toxic carbon dioxide. Acetamiprid can also be demethylated to remove cyanoimine (=N-CN) to form a less toxic intermediate metabolite. A few studies have discussed the neonicotinoid toxicity and microbial degradation in contaminated environments. This review is focused on providing an in-depth understanding of neonicotinoid toxicity, microbial degradation, catabolic pathways, and information related to the remediation process of NEOs. Future research directions are also proposed to provide a scientific basis for the risk assessment and removal of these pesticides.

Novel biodegradation pathway of insecticide flonicamid mediated by an amidase and its unusual substrate spectrum

The insecticide flonicamid (FLO) and its main degradation intermediate 4-trifluoromethylnicotinamide (TFNA-AM) are hazardous to the environment and animals. Microbial transformation of FLO has been well studied, but no study has yet reported on TFNA-AM degradation by a microorganism. Here, Pseudomonas stutzeri CGMCC 22915 effectively degraded TFNA-AM to 5-trifluoromethylnicotinic acid (TFNA). P. stutzeri CGMCC 22915 degraded 60.0% of TFNA-AM (1154.44 μmol/L) within 6 h with a half-life of just 4.5 h. Moreover, P. stutzeri CGMCC 22915 significantly promoted TFNA-AM decomposition in surface water. The reaction was catalyzed by an amidase, PsAmiA. PsAmiA is encoded in a novel nitrile-converting enzyme gene cluster. The enzyme shared only 20-44% identities with previously characterized signature amidases. PsAmiA was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli and its enzymatic properties were investigated using TFNA-AM as the substrate. PsAmiA was more active toward amides without hydrophilic groups, and did not hydrolyze another amide metabolite of FLO, N-(4-trifluoromethylnicotinoyl)glycinamide (TFNG-AM), which is structurally very similar to TFNA-AM. Molecular docking of PsAmiA and TFNA-AM indicated that hydrophobic residues Leu148, Ala150, Ala195, Ile225, Trp341, Leu460, and Ile463 may affect its substrate spectrum. This study provides new insights of the environmental fate of FLO at the molecular level and the structure-function relationships of amidases.

Latest eco-friendly approaches for pesticides decontamination using microorganisms and consortia microalgae: A comprehensive insights, challenges, and perspectives

Pesticides are chemical compounds that are considered toxic to many organisms, including humans. Their elimination from polluted sites attracted the attention of Scientifics in the last decade; Among the various methods used to decontaminate pesticides from the environment, the microbial-algae consortium is a promising bioremediation technology, which implies several advantages as an eco-friendly process that generate biomass produced that could be valorized in the form of bioenergy, In this review, we will discuss the latest eco-friendly approaches using microorganisms to remediate sites contaminated by pesticides, and shows the ability of microbial, algae and their consortium to remove pesticides and the role of different enzymes in degradation processes.

Detection of Neonicotinoids in agriculture soil and degradation of thiacloprid through photo degradation, biodegradation and photo-biodegradation

The social and ecological influence of Neonicotinoids (NEOs) usage in agriculture sector is progressively higher. There are seven NEOs insecticides widely used for the insects control. Among the NEOs, thiacloprid (THD) was extensively used for insect control during crop cultivation. This study targets to analyse the contamination levels of NEOs in agricultural soil and identify photo-biodegradation of THD degradation using pure isolates and mixed consortium. The photo degradation (PD), biodegradation (BD) and photo-biodegradation (PBD) of THD were compared. The corn field agricultural soils were polluted by four NEOs, among them THD had greater contamination level (surface soil: 3901.2 ± 0.04 μg/g) and (sub-surface soil: 3988.6 ± 0.05 μg/g). Three soil free enriched bacterial strains following Bacillus atrophaeus (PB-2), Priestia megaterium (PB-3) (formerly known as Bacillus megaterium), and Peribacillus simplex (PB-4) (formerly known as Bacillus simplex) were identified by microbiological and molecular 16s rRNA gene sequencing. The PD, BD and PBD of THD were conducted and degradation rate was detected by instrument UPLC-MS-MS. The PBD process with blue-LEDs showed better THD degradation efficiency than PD and BD, where the specific THD degradation rate was 85 ± 0.2%, 87 ± 0.5%, and 89 ± 0.3%, respectively for PB-2, PB-3 and PB-4. Then, the photo-biodegradation performance is greater at 150, 175, 200 rpm, pH 7.0-9.0, and temperature 30-35 °C. After the PBD system deliver four intermediate metabolites, the THD degradation process maybe through nitro reduction, hydroxylation and oxidative cleavage pathway.

Actinobacteria isolated from wastewater treatment plants located in the east-north of Algeria able to degrade pesticides

The pollution of water resources by pesticides poses serious problems for public health and the environment. In this study, Actinobacteria strains were isolated from three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and were screened for their ability to degrade 17 pesticide compounds. Preliminary screening of 13 of the isolates of Actinobacteria allowed the selection of 12 strains with potential for the degradation of nine different pesticides as sole carbon source, including aliette, for which there are no previous reports of biodegradation. Evaluation of the bacterial growth and degradation kinetics of the pesticides 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) and thiamethoxam (tiam) by selected Actinobacteria strains was performed in liquid media. Strains Streptomyces sp. ML and Streptomyces sp. OV were able to degrade 45% of 2,4-DCP (50 mg/l) as the sole carbon source in 30 days and 84% of thiamethoxam (35 mg/l) in the presence of 10 mM of glucose in 18 days. The biodegradation of thiamethoxam by Actinobacteria strains was reported for the first time in this study. These strains are promising for use in bioremediation of ecosystems polluted by this type of pesticides.

Microbial Technologies Employed for Biodegradation of Neonicotinoids in the Agroecosystem

Neonicotinoids are synthetic pesticides widely used for the control of various pests in agriculture throughout the world. They mainly attack the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, generate nervous stimulation, receptor clot, paralysis and finally cause death. They are low volatile, highly soluble and have a long half-life in soil and water. Due to their extensive use, the environmental residues have immensely increased in the last two decades and caused many hazardous effects on non-target organisms, including humans. Hence, for the protection of the environment and diversity of living organism's the degradation of neonicotinoids has received widespread attention. Compared to the other methods, biological methods are considered cost-effective, eco-friendly and most efficient. In particular, the use of microbial species makes the degradation of xenobiotics more accessible fast and active due to their smaller size. Since this degradation also converts xenobiotics into less toxic substances, the various metabolic pathways for the microbial degradation of neonicotinoids have been systematically discussed. Additionally, different enzymes, genes, plasmids and proteins are also investigated here. At last, this review highlights the implementation of innovative tools, databases, multi-omics strategies and immobilization techniques of microbial cells to detect and degrade neonicotinoids in the environment.

Bioaugmentation of acetamiprid-contaminated soil with Pigmentiphaga sp. strain D-2 and its effect on the soil microbial community

Bioaugmentation, a strategy based on microbiome engineering, has been proposed for bioremediation of pollutant-contaminated environments. However, the complex microbiome engineering processes for soil bioaugmentation, involving interactions among the exogenous inoculum, soil environment, and indigenous microbial microbiome, remain largely unknown. Acetamiprid is a widely used neonicotinoid insecticide which has caused environmental contaminations. Here, we used an acetamiprid-degrading strain, Pigmentiphaga sp. D-2, as inoculum to investigate the effects of bioaugmentation on the soil microbial community and the process of microbiome reassembly. The bioaugmentation treatment removed 94.8 and 92.5% of acetamiprid within 40 days from soils contaminated with 50 and 200 mg/kg acetamiprid, respectively. A decrease in bacterial richness and diversity was detected in bioaugmentation treatments, which later recovered with the removal of acetamiprid from soil. Moreover, the bioaugmentation treatment significantly influenced the bacterial community structure, whereas application of acetamiprid alone had little influence on the soil microbial community. Furthermore, the bioaugmentation treatment improved the growth of bacteria associated with acetamiprid degradation, and the inoculated and recruited taxa significantly influenced the keystone taxa of the indigenous microbiome, resulting in reassembly of the bacterial community yielding higher acetamiprid-degrading efficiency than that of the indigenous and acetamiprid-treated communities. Our results provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of microbiome engineering for bioaugmentation of acetamiprid-contaminated soils.

Nitrile Hydratases: From Industrial Application to Acetamiprid and Thiacloprid Degradation

The widespread application of neonicotinoid insecticides (NEOs) in agriculture causes a series of environmental and ecological problems. Microbial remediation is a popular approach to relieve these negative impacts, but the associated molecular mechanisms are rarely explored. Nitrile hydratase (NHase), an enzyme commonly used in industry for amide production, was discovered to be responsible for the degradation of acetamiprid (ACE) and thiacloprid (THI) by microbes. Since then, research into NHases in NEO degradation has attracted increasing attention. In this review, microbial degradation of ACE and THI is briefly described. We then focus on NHase evolution, gene composition, maturation mechanisms, expression, and biochemical properties with regard to application of NHases in NEO degradation for bioremediation.

Biodegradation of flonicamid by Ensifer adhaerens CGMCC 6315 and enzymatic characterization of the nitrile hydratases involved

BACKGROUND

Flonicamid (N-cyanomethyl-4-trifluoromethylnicotinamide, FLO) is a new type of pyridinamide insecticide that regulates insect growth. Because of its wide application in agricultural production and high solubility in water, it poses potential risks to aquatic environments and food chain.

RESULTS

In the present study, Ensifer adhaerens CGMCC 6315 was shown to efficiently transform FLO into N-(4-trifluoromethylnicotinoyl) glycinamide (TFNG-AM) via a hydration pathway mediated by two nitrile hydratases, PnhA and CnhA. In pure culture, resting cells of E. adhaerens CGMCC 6315 degraded 92% of 0.87 mmol/L FLO within 24 h at 30 °C (half-life 7.4 h). Both free and immobilized (by gel beads, using calcium alginate as a carrier) E. adhaerens CGMCC 6315 cells effectively degraded FLO in surface water. PnhA has, to our knowledge, the highest reported degradation activity toward FLO, Vmax = 88.7 U/mg (Km = 2.96 mmol/L). Addition of copper ions could increase the enzyme activity of CnhA toward FLO by 4.2-fold. Structural homology modeling indicated that residue β-Glu56 may be important for the observed significant difference in enzyme activity between PnhA and CnhA.

CONCLUSIONS

Application of E. adhaerens may be a good strategy for bioremediation of FLO in surface water. This work furthers our understanding of the enzymatic mechanisms of biodegradation of nitrile-containing insecticides and provides effective transformation strategies for microbial remediation of FLO contamination.

An overview of neonicotinoids: biotransformation and biodegradation by microbiological processes

Neonicotinoids are a class of pesticides widely used in different phases of agricultural crops. Similar to other classes of pesticides, they can damage human and environmental health if overused, and can be resistent to degradation. This is especially relevant to insect health, pollination, and aquatic biodiversity. Nevertheless, application of pesticides is still crucial for food production and pest control, and should therefore be carefully monitored by the government to control or reduce neonicotinoid contamination reaching human and animal feed. Aware of this problem, studies have been carried out to reduce or eliminate neonicotinoid contamination from the environment. One example of a green protocol is bioremediation. This review discusses the most recent microbial biodegradation and bioremediation processes for neonicotinoids, which employ isolated microorganisms (bacteria and fungi), consortiums of microorganisms, and different types of soils, biobeds, and biomixtures.

Copper stimulates neonicotinoid insecticide thiacloprid degradation by Ensifer adhaerens TMX-23

AIMS

Aims of this study are to elucidate the molecular mechanism of copper-improved thiacloprid (THI) degradation by Ensifer adhaerens TMX-23 and characterize copper resistance of this strain.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Resting cells of E. adhaerens TMX-23 were used to degrade THI, with formation of THI amide and 98·31% of 0·59 mmol l^-1 THI was degraded in 100 min. The addition of copper improved the degradation of THI and showed little inhibitory effects on the growth of E. adhaerens TMX-23. E. adhaerens TMX-23 degraded THI to THI amide by nitrile hydratases (NhcA and NhpA). QPCR analysis indicated that the expression of nhpA was up-regulated in the presence of copper. E. adhaerens TMX-23 nitrile hydratases were purified, and enzyme assay of NhpA exhibited the highest NHase activity toward THI. The addition of copper activated the activity of NhcA. Soil degradation experiment indicated that E. adhaerens TMX-23 could quickly eliminate THI residual in copper-added soil.

CONCLUSIONS

Copper improved THI degradation by E. adhaerens TMX-23 was attributed to the induced expression of nhpA and activated NhcA.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study broadens the investigation of regulatory mechanism of NHase expression and provided theoretical basis for using metal-resistant microbes to degrade pesticide in heavy metal co-contaminated environments.

Bioinformatics of a Novel Nitrile Hydratase Gene Cluster of the N2-Fixing Bacterium Microvirga flocculans CGMCC 1.16731 and Characterization of the Enzyme

Microvirga flocculans CGMCC 1.16731 can degrade many cyano group-containing neonicotinoid insecticides. Here, its genome was sequenced, and a novel nitrile hydratase gene cluster was discovered in a plasmid. The NHase gene cluster (pnhF) has gene structure β-subunit 1, α-subunit, and β-subunit 2, which is different from previously reported NHase gene structures. Phylogenetic analysis of α-subunits indicated that NHases containing the three subunit (β1αβ2) structure are independent from NHases containing two subunits (αβ). pnhF was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli, and the purified PnhF could convert the nitrile-containing insecticide flonicamid to N-(4-trifluoromethylnicotinoyl)glycinamide. The enzymatic properties of PnhF were investigated using flonicamid as a substrate. Homology models revealed that amino acid residue β1-Glu56 may strongly affect the catalytic activity of PnhF. This study expands our understanding of the structures and functions of NHases and the enzymatic mechanism of the environmental fate of flonicamid.

Maturation Mechanism of Nitrile Hydratase From Streptomyces canus CGMCC 13662 and Its Structural Character

Nitrile hydratases have received significant interest both in the large-scale industrial production of acrylamide and nicotinamide, and the remediation of environmental contamination with nitrile-containing pollutants. Almost all known nitrile hydratases include an α-subunit (AnhA) and β-subunit (AnhB), and a specific activator protein is crucial for their maturation and catalytic activity. Many studies exist on nitrile hydratase characteristics and applications, but few have reported their metal insertion and post-translational maturation mechanism. In this study, we investigated the cobalt insertion and maturation mechanism of nitrile hydratase from Streptomyces canus CGMCC 13662 (ScNHase) bearing three subunits (AnhD, AnhE, and AnhA). ScNHase subunits were purified, and the cobalt content and nitrile hydratase activity of the ScNHase subunits were detected. We discovered that cobalt could insert into the cobalt-free AnhA of ScNHase in the absence of activator protein under reduction agent DL-dithiothreitol (DTT) environment. AnhD not only performed the function of AnhB of NHase, but also acted as a metal ion chaperone and self-subunit swapping chaperone, while AnhE did not act as similar performance. A cobalt direct-insertion under reduction condition coordinated self-subunit swapping mechanism is responsible for ScNHase post-translational maturation. Molecular docking of ScNHase and substrates suggested that the substrate specificity of ScNHase was correlated with its structure. ScNHase had a weak hydrophobic interaction with IAN through protein-ligand interaction analysis and, therefore, had no affinity with indole-3-acetonitrile (IAN). The post-translational maturation mechanism and structure characteristics of ScNHase could help guide research on the environmental remediation of nitrile-containing waste contamination and three-subunit nitrile hydratase.

Characterization of Acetamiprid Biodegradation by the Microbial Consortium ACE-3 Enriched From Contaminated Soil

Microbial consortia are ubiquitous in nature and exhibit several attractive features such as sophisticated metabolic capabilities and strong environmental robustness. This study aimed to decipher the metabolic and ecological characteristics of synergistic interactions in acetamiprid-degrading consortia, suggesting an optimal scheme for bioremediation of organic pollutants. The microbial consortium ACE-3 with excellent acetamiprid-degrading ability was enriched from the soil of an acetamiprid-contaminated site and characterized using high-throughput sequencing (HTS). Consortium ACE-3 was able to completely degrade 50 mg⋅L^–1 acetamiprid in 144 h, and was metabolically active at a wide range of pH values (6.0–8.0) and temperatures (20–42°C). Furthermore, plausible metabolic routes of acetamiprid biodegradation by the consortium were proposed based on the identification of intermediate metabolites (Compounds I, II, III and IV). The findings indicated that the consortium ACE-3 has promising potential for the removal and detoxification of pesticides because it produces downstream metabolites (Compounds I and II) that are less toxic to mammals and insects than acetamiprid. Finally, Illumina HTS revealed that β Proteobacteria were the dominant group, accounting for 85.61% of all sequences at the class level. Among the more than 50 genera identified in consortium ACE-3, Sphingobium, Acinetobacter, Afipia, Stenotrophomonas, and Microbacterium were dominant, respectively accounting for 3.07, 10.01, 24.45, and 49.12% of the total population.

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

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

Insights Into the Microbial Degradation and Biochemical Mechanisms of Neonicotinoids

Neonicotinoids are derivatives of synthetic nicotinoids with better insecticidal capabilities, including imidacloprid, nitenpyram, acetamiprid, thiacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin, and dinotefuran. These are mainly used to control harmful insects and pests to protect crops. Their main targets are nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. In the past two decades, the environmental residues of neonicotinoids have enormously increased due to large-scale applications. More and more neonicotinoids remain in the environment and pose severe toxicity to humans and animals. An increase in toxicological and hazardous pollution due to the introduction of neonicotinoids into the environment causes problems; thus, the systematic remediation of neonicotinoids is essential and in demand. Various technologies have been developed to remove insecticidal residues from soil and water environments. Compared with non-bioremediation methods, bioremediation is a cost-effective and eco-friendly approach for the treatment of pesticide-polluted environments. Certain neonicotinoid-degrading microorganisms, including Bacillus, Mycobacterium, Pseudoxanthomonas, Rhizobium, Rhodococcus, Actinomycetes, and Stenotrophomonas, have been isolated and characterized. These microbes can degrade neonicotinoids under laboratory and field conditions. The microbial degradation pathways of neonicotinoids and the fate of several metabolites have been investigated in the literature. In addition, the neonicotinoid-degrading enzymes and the correlated genes in organisms have been explored. However, few reviews have focused on the neonicotinoid-degrading microorganisms along with metabolic pathways and degradation mechanisms. Therefore, this review aimed to summarize the microbial degradation and biochemical mechanisms of neonicotinoids. The potentials of neonicotinoid-degrading microbes for the bioremediation of contaminated sites were also discussed.

Pigmentiphaga sp. Strain D-2 Uses a Novel Amidase To Initiate the Catabolism of the Neonicotinoid Insecticide Acetamiprid

Acetamiprid, a chloronicotinyl neonicotinoid insecticide, is among the most commonly used insecticides worldwide, and its environmental fate has caused considerable concern. The compound 1-(6-chloropyridin-3-yl)-N-methylmethanamine (IM 1-4) has been reported to be the main intermediate during acetamiprid catabolism in microorganisms, honeybees, and spinach. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the hydrolysis of acetamiprid to IM 1-4 has not yet been elucidated. In this study, a novel amidase (AceAB) that initially hydrolyzes the C-N bond of acetamiprid to generate IM 1-4 was purified and characterized from the acetamiprid-degrading strain Pigmentiphaga sp. strain D-2. Based on peptide profiling of the purified AceAB and the draft genome sequence of strain D-2, aceA (372 bp) and aceB (2,295 bp), encoding the α and β subunits of AceAB, respectively, were cloned and found to be necessary for acetamiprid hydrolysis in strain D-2. The characteristics of AceAB were also systematically investigated. Though AceA and AceB showed 35% to 56% identity to the α and β subunits of the N,N-dimethylformamidase from Paracoccus aminophilus, AceAB was specific for the hydrolysis of acetamiprid and showed no activities to N,N-dimethylformamide or its structural analogs.IMPORTANCE Acetamiprid, among the top neonicotinoid insecticides used worldwide, is one of the most important commercial insecticides. Due to its extensive use, the environmental fate of acetamiprid, especially its microbial degradation, has caused considerable concern. Although the catabolic pathways of acetamiprid in microorganisms have been extensively studied, the molecular mechanisms underlying acetamiprid biodegradation (except for a nitrile hydratase) remain largely unknown, and the enzyme responsible for the biotransformation of acetamiprid into its main intermediate, IM 1-4, have not yet been elucidated. The amidase AceAB and its encoding genes, aceA and aceB, characterized in this study, were found to be necessary and specific for the initial hydrolysis of the C-N bond of acetamiprid to generate IM 1-4 in Pigmentiphaga sp. strain D-2. The finding of the novel amidase AceAB will greatly enhance our understanding of the microbial catabolism of the widely used insecticide acetamiprid at the molecular level.

Thermophilic waste air treatment of an airborne ethyl acetate/toluene mixture in a bubble column reactor: Stability towards temperature changes

Thermophilic waste air treatment in a lab-scale bubble column reactor (BCR) was used to remove an ethyl acetate/toluene mixture under both mesophilic and thermophilic conditions, at 30-50 °C. Additional tests, e.g., toluene mass transfer measurement and monitoring of microbial population development, explained the observed bioreactor response to the conducted loading tests and temperature changes. The maximum overall elimination capacity at thermophilic conditions (50 °C) was 136.9 g·m^-3 h^-1, however hysteresis in elimination capacity was observed in response to ascending/descending temperature and inlet concentration changes. Representatives of genera Cupriavidus, Variovorax and order Rhodospirillales were found to be predominant in the degrading microbial population, depending on the operating temperature. Thermobacillus and Blastocatella were abundant at high (50 °C) and low (30 °C) temperatures, respectively. The observed gradual shift in microbial population caused a small yet significant gradual change in developing a preference for toluene at the expense of ethyl acetate, which explains the observed hysteresis. Yet, the whole bioreactor removal efficiency remained similar at the same temperature, thus demonstrating the advantages of using thermophiles in bioreactors with temperature variation, such as robustness and flexibility.

Biodegradation of the Neonicotinoid Insecticide Acetamiprid by Actinomycetes Streptomyces canus CGMCC 13662 and Characterization of the Novel Nitrile Hydratase Involved

Neonicotinoid insecticide pollution in soil and water poses serious environmental risks. Microbial biodegradation is an important neonicotinoid insecticide degradation pathway in the environment. In this study, 70.0% of the acetamiprid in a 200 mg/L solution was degraded by actinomycetes Streptomyces canus CGMCC 13662 (isolated from soil) in 48 h, and the acetamiprid degradation half-life was 27.7 h. Acetamiprid was degraded to IM-1-2 (( E)-1-(1-(((6-chloropyridin-3-yl)methyl)(methyl) amino)ethylidene)urea) through hydrolysis of the cyanoimine moiety. Gene cloning and overexpression indicated that a novel nitrile hydratase with three unusual subunits (AnhD, AnhE, and AnhA) without accessory protein mediated IM-1-2 formation. The purified nitrile hydratase responsible for degrading acetamiprid had a K_m of 5.85 mmol/L and a V_max of 15.99 U/mg. A homology model suggested that AnhD-Glu56 and AnhE-His21 play important roles in the catalytic efficiency of the nitrile hydratase. S. canus CGMCC 13662 could be used to remediate environments contaminated with acetamiprid.

A Novel Nutrient Deprivation-Induced Neonicotinoid Insecticide Acetamiprid Degradation by Ensifer adhaerens CGMCC 6315

Biodegradation of pesticide pollution is often restricted by environmental pressures, such as nutrient deprivation. Ensifer adhaerens CGMCC 6315 could overcome this issue and degrade neonicotinoid acetamiprid (ACE) efficiently under low nutrient stimuli. The ACE degradation rate improved by 33.1-fold when the lysogeny broth content for cell culture was decreased to 1/15-fold. Resting cells of CGMCC 6315 degraded 94.4% of 200 mg/L ACE in 12 h and quickly eliminated 87.8% of 5 mg/kg of residual soil ACE within 2 d. ACE degradation by CGMCC 6315 was via a nitrile hydratase (NHase) pathway. Genome sequencing showed that CGMCC 6315 had two NHase genes ( cnhA and pnhA). PnhA had the highest reported activity of 28.8 U/mg for ACE. QPCR and proteomic analysis showed that the improved ACE degradation ability was attributed to the up-regulated expression of PnhA. This biodegradation system of CGMCC 6315 has great potential for use in pesticide pollution remediation.

The Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacterium Variovorax boronicumulans CGMCC 4969 Regulates the Level of Indole-3-Acetic Acid Synthesized from Indole-3-Acetonitrile

Variovorax is a metabolically diverse genus of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) that engages in mutually beneficial interactions between plants and microbes. Unlike most PGPR, Variovorax cannot synthesize the phytohormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) via tryptophan. However, we found that Variovorax boronicumulans strain CGMCC 4969 can produce IAA using indole-3-acetonitrile (IAN) as the precursor. Thus, in the present study, the IAA synthesis mechanism of V. boronicumulans CGMCC 4969 was investigated. V. boronicumulans CGMCC 4969 metabolized IAN to IAA through both a nitrilase-dependent pathway and a nitrile hydratase (NHase) and amidase-dependent pathway. Cobalt enhanced the metabolic flux via the NHase/amidase, by which IAN was rapidly converted to indole-3-acetamide (IAM) and in turn to IAA. IAN stimulated metabolic flux via the nitrilase, by which IAN was rapidly converted to IAA. Subsequently, the IAA was degraded. V. boronicumulans CGMCC 4969 can use IAN as the sole carbon and nitrogen source for growth. Genome sequencing confirmed the IAA synthesis pathways. Gene cloning and overexpression in Escherichia coli indicated that NitA has nitrilase activity and IamA has amidase activity to respectively transform IAN and IAM to IAA. Interestingly, NitA showed a close genetic relationship with the nitrilase of the phytopathogen Pseudomonas syringae Quantitative PCR analysis indicated that the NHase/amidase system is constitutively expressed, whereas the nitrilase is inducible. The present study helps our understanding of the versatile functions of Variovorax nitrile-converting enzymes that mediate IAA synthesis and the interactions between plants and these bacteria.IMPORTANCE We demonstrated that Variovorax boronicumulans CGMCC 4969 has two enzymatic systems-nitrilase and nitrile hydratase/amidase-that convert indole-3-acetonitrile (IAN) to the important plant hormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). The two IAA synthesis systems have very different regulatory mechanisms, affecting the IAA synthesis rate and duration. The nitrilase was induced by IAN, which was rapidly converted to IAA; subsequently, IAA was rapidly consumed for cell growth. The nitrile hydratase (NHase) and amidase system was constitutively expressed and slowly but continuously synthesized IAA. In addition to synthesizing IAA from IAN, CGMCC 4969 has a rapid IAA degradation system, which would be helpful for a host plant to eliminate redundant IAA. This study indicates that the plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium V. boronicumulans CGMCC 4969 has the potential to be used by host plants to regulate the IAA level.

Binary mixtures of alcohol ethoxylates, nonylphenol ethoxylates and pesticides exhibit comparative bioactivity against three pests and toxicological risks to aquatic organisms

Nonylphenol ethoxylates are widely used surfactants in the industry and agriculture. However, seeking for alternatives has been imperative considering their effects of the hormonal and other toxicological risks. In the current study, the synergistic effects of nonylphenol ethoxylates or alcohol ethoxylates on the bioactivity of indoxacarb and acetamiprid were compared. Results showed that synergistic ratios of nonylphenol ethoxylates (TX-7∼TX-30) and alcohol ethoxylates (MOA-5∼MOA-20) against Spodoptera exigua, Agrotis ipsilon and Aphis citricola decreased with the EO (ethylene oxide) numbers, although different magnitudes of decreases were observed. Single toxicities of all ethoxylates to Daphnia magna and Brachydanio rerio also dramatically decreased with the EO numbers. In terms of joint toxicity, the combined effects of all ethoxylates and pesticides upon D. magna turned from synergism to antagonism with the increasing EO numbers; the combined effects of nonylphenol ethoxylates and pesticides turned from synergism to antagonism with the increasing EO numbers of ethoxylates, whereas alcohol ethoxylates and pesticides always showed antagonistic effects whatever EO numbers. Overall, alcohol ethoxylates may be potential alternatives for nonylphenol ethoxylates as they exhibited nearly comparative bioactivity against tested pests and toxicities to D. magna and B. rerio.

Detoxifying symbiosis: microbe-mediated detoxification of phytotoxins and pesticides in insects

Symbiotic microorganisms degrade natural and artificial toxic compounds, and confer toxin resistance on insect hosts.