1
|
Zhang M, Gao S, Pan K, Liu H, Li Q, Bai X, Zhu Q, Chen Z, Yan X, Hong Q. Functional analysis, diversity, and distribution of the ean cluster responsible for 17 β-estradiol degradation in sphingomonads. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0197423. [PMID: 38619269 PMCID: PMC11107178 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01974-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
17β-estradiol (E2) is a natural endocrine disruptor that is frequently detected in surface and groundwater sources, thereby threatening ecosystems and human health. The newly isolated E2-degrading strain Sphingomonas colocasiae C3-2 can degrade E2 through both the 4,5-seco pathway and the 9,10-seco pathway; the former is the primary pathway supporting the growth of this strain and the latter is a branching pathway. The novel gene cluster ean was found to be responsible for E2 degradation through the 4,5-seco pathway, where E2 is converted to estrone (E1) by EanA, which belongs to the short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases (SDR) superfamily. A three-component oxygenase system (including the P450 monooxygenase EanB1, the small iron-sulfur protein ferredoxin EanB2, and the ferredoxin reductase EanB3) was responsible for hydroxylating E1 to 4-hydroxyestrone (4-OH-E1). The enzymatic assay showed that the proportion of the three components is critical for its function. The dioxygenase EanC catalyzes ring A cleavage of 4-OH-E1, and the oxidoreductase EanD is responsible for the decarboxylation of the ring A-cleavage product of 4-OH-E1. EanR, a TetR family transcriptional regulator, acts as a transcriptional repressor of the ean cluster. The ean cluster was also found in other reported E2-degrading sphingomonads. In addition, the novel two-component monooxygenase EanE1E2 can open ring B of 4-OH-E1 via the 9,10-seco pathway, but its encoding genes are not located within the ean cluster. These results refine research on genes involved in E2 degradation and enrich the understanding of the cleavages of ring A and ring B of E2.IMPORTANCESteroid estrogens have been detected in diverse environments, ranging from oceans and rivers to soils and groundwater, posing serious risks to both human health and ecological safety. The United States National Toxicology Program and the World Health Organization have both classified estrogens as Group 1 carcinogens. Several model organisms (proteobacteria) have established the 4,5-seco pathway for estrogen degradation. In this study, the newly isolated Sphingomonas colocasiae C3-2 could degrade E2 through both the 4,5-seco pathway and the 9,10-seco pathway. The novel gene cluster ean (including eanA, eanB1, eanC, and eanD) responsible for E2 degradation by the 4,5-seco pathway was identified; the novel two-component monooxygenase EanE1E2 can open ring B of 4-OH-E1 through the 9,10-seco pathway. The TetR family transcriptional regulator EanR acts as a transcriptional repressor of the ean cluster. The cluster ean was also found to be present in other reported E2-degrading sphingomonads, indicating the ubiquity of the E2 metabolism in the environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mingliang Zhang
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing, China
| | - Siyuan Gao
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing, China
| | - Kaihua Pan
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing, China
| | - Hongfei Liu
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing, China
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing, China
| | - Xuekun Bai
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing, China
| | - Qian Zhu
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing, China
| | - Zeyou Chen
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xin Yan
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing, China
| | - Qing Hong
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hsiao TH, Chen PH, Wang PH, Brandon-Mong GJ, Li CW, Horinouchi M, Hayashi T, Ismail W, Meng M, Chen YL, Chiang YR. Harnessing microbial phylum-specific molecular markers for assessment of environmental estrogen degradation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 896:165152. [PMID: 37391160 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165152] [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: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
Steroidal estrogens are ubiquitous contaminants that have garnered attention worldwide due to their endocrine-disrupting and carcinogenic activities at sub-nanomolar concentrations. Microbial degradation is one of the main mechanisms through which estrogens can be removed from the environment. Numerous bacteria have been isolated and identified as estrogen degraders; however, little is known about their contribution to environmental estrogen removal. Here, our global metagenomic analysis indicated that estrogen degradation genes are widely distributed among bacteria, especially among aquatic actinobacterial and proteobacterial species. Thus, by using the Rhodococcus sp. strain B50 as the model organism, we identified three actinobacteria-specific estrogen degradation genes, namely aedGHJ, by performing gene disruption experiments and metabolite profile analysis. Among these genes, the product of aedJ was discovered to mediate the conjugation of coenzyme A with a unique actinobacterial C17 estrogenic metabolite, 5-oxo-4-norestrogenic acid. However, proteobacteria were found to exclusively adopt an α-oxoacid ferredoxin oxidoreductase (i.e., the product of edcC) to degrade a proteobacterial C18 estrogenic metabolite, namely 3-oxo-4,5-seco-estrogenic acid. We employed actinobacterial aedJ and proteobacterial edcC as specific biomarkers for quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to elucidate the potential of microbes for estrogen biodegradation in contaminated ecosystems. The results indicated that aedJ was more abundant than edcC in most environmental samples. Our results greatly expand the understanding of environmental estrogen degradation. Moreover, our study suggests that qPCR-based functional assays are a simple, cost-effective, and rapid approach for holistically evaluating estrogen biodegradation in the environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tsun-Hsien Hsiao
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115, Taiwan
| | - Po-Hao Chen
- Department of Microbiology, Soochow University, Taipei, 111, Taiwan
| | - Po-Hsiang Wang
- Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan, 320, Taiwan; Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan, 320, Taiwan
| | | | - Chen-Wei Li
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115, Taiwan
| | - Masae Horinouchi
- Condensed Molecular Materials Laboratory, RIKEN, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Hayashi
- Environmental Molecular Biology Laboratory, RIKEN, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Wael Ismail
- Environmental Biotechnology Program, Life Sciences Department, College of Graduate Studies, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain
| | - Menghsiao Meng
- Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Lung Chen
- Department of Microbiology, Soochow University, Taipei, 111, Taiwan.
| | - Yin-Ru Chiang
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115, Taiwan; Department of Agricultural Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Xiong W, Peng W, Fu Y, Deng Z, Lin S, Liang R. Identification of a 17β-estradiol-degrading Microbacterium hominis SJTG1 with high adaptability and characterization of the genes for estrogen degradation. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 444:130371. [PMID: 36423453 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Environmental estrogen contamination poses severe threat to wildlife and human. Biodegradation is an efficient strategy to remove the wide-spread natural estrogen, while strains suitable for hostile environments and fit for practical application are rare. In this work, Microbacterium hominis SJTG1 was isolated and identified with high degrading efficiency for 17β-estradiol (E2) and great environment fitness. It could degrade nearly 100% of 10 mg/L E2 in minimal medium in 6 days, and remove 93% of 1 mg/L E2 and 74% of 10 mg/L E2 in the simulated E2-polluted solid soil in 10 days. It maintained stable E2-degrading efficiency in various harsh conditions like non-neutral pH, high salinity, stress of heavy metals and surfactants. Genome mining and comparative genome analysis revealed that there are multiple genes potentially associated with steroid degradation in strain SJTG1. One 3β/17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase HSD-G129 induced by E2 catalyzed the 3β/17β-dehydrogenation of E2 and other steroids efficiently. The transcription of hsd-G129 gene was negatively regulated by the adjacent LysR-type transcriptional regulator LysR-G128, through specific binding to the conserved site. E2 can release this binding and initiate the degradation process. This work provides an efficient and adaptive E2-degrading strain and promotes the biodegrading mechanism study and actual remediation application.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weiliang Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Wanli Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yali Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Zixin Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Shuangjun Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Rubing Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Hao P, Wu S, Zhang X, Gou C, Wang Y, Wang L, Zhu Y, Basang W, Gao Y. Characterization and Degradation Pathways of Microbacterium resistens MZT7, A Novel 17 β-Estradiol-Degrading Bacterium. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph191711097. [PMID: 36078812 PMCID: PMC9518027 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191711097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Due to the ecotoxicity of 17β-estradiol (E2), residual E2 in the environment poses potential risks to human and animal health and ecosystems. Biodegradation is considered one of the most effective strategies to remove E2 from the environment. Here, a novel, efficient E2-degrading bacterial strain Microbacterium resistens MZT7 was isolated from activated sludge and characterized. The genome of strain MZT7 contained 4,011,347 bp nucleotides with 71.26% G + C content and 3785 coding genes. There was 86.7% transformation efficiency of 10 mg/L E2 by strain MZT7 after incubation for 5 d at optimal temperature (30 °C) and pH (7.0). This strain was highly tolerant to ranges in pH (5.0-11.0), temperature (20-40 °C), and salinity (2-8%). Adding sources of carbon (glucose, maltose, sucrose, or lactose) or nitrogen sources (urea, peptone, or beef extract) promoted the degradation of E2 by strain MZT7. However, when yeast extract was added as a nitrogen source, the degradation efficiency of E2 was inhibited. Metabolites were analyzed by LC-MS and three metabolic pathways of E2 degradation were proposed. Further, the intermediates dehydroepiandrosterone and androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione were detected, as well as identification of kshB and fadD3 genes by KEGG, confirming one E2 degradation pathway. This study provided some insights into E2 biodegradation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peng Hao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Sicheng Wu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Xiqing Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Changlong Gou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University for Nationalities, Tongliao 028000, China
| | - Yuqiong Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University for Nationalities, Tongliao 028000, China
| | - Lixia Wang
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
| | - Yanbin Zhu
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Tibet Academy of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Science, Lhasa 850009, China
| | - Wangdui Basang
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Tibet Academy of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Science, Lhasa 850009, China
| | - Yunhang Gao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-13159752912
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
AlDhafiri S, Chiang YR, El Nayal AM, Abed RMM, Abotalib N, Ismail W. Temporal compositional shifts in an activated sludge microbiome during estrone biodegradation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:32702-32716. [PMID: 35015225 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-18185-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microbial biodegradation is a key process for the removal of estrogens during wastewater treatment. At least four degradation pathways for natural estrogens have been proposed. However, major estrogen degraders and the occurrence of different estrogen biodegradation pathways in wastewater treatment plants have been rarely investigated. This study was conducted to elucidate estrone biodegradation pathway and to identify key estrone-degrading bacteria in activated sludge from a major wastewater treatment plant in Bahrain. The biodegradation experiments were performed in activated sludge microcosms supplemented with estrone. Sludge samples were retrieved at time intervals to analyze the biodegradation metabolites and the temporal shifts in the bacterial community composition. Chemical analysis revealed the biodegradation of more than 90% of the added estrone within 6 days, and the compounds 4-hydroxyestrone and pyridinestrone acid, which are typical markers of the 4,5-seco pathway of aerobic estrone biodegradation, were detected. Temporal shifts in the relative abundance of bacteria were most prominent among members of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. While the alphaproteobacterial genera Novosphingobium and Sphingoaurantiacus were significantly enriched (from ≤ 6% to an average of 31%) in the estrone-amended activated sludge after 2 days of incubation, the bacteroidete Pedobacter was uniquely detected in these microcosms at day 10. The relative abundance of Polyangia (Nannocyctis) increased to an average of 10 ± 0.4% in the estrone-amended activated sludge after 4 days of incubation. Enrichment cultivation of bacteria from the activated sludge on estrone resulted in a mixed culture that was capable of degrading estrone. An estrone-degrading strain was isolated from this mixed culture and was affiliated with the known estrogen-degrading Alphaproteobacteria Sphingobium estrogenivorans. We conclude that estrone degradation in the activated sludge from the studied wastewater treatment plant proceeds via the 4,5-seco pathway and is most likely mediated by alphaproteobacterial taxa.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah AlDhafiri
- Environmental Biotechnology Program, Life Sciences Department, College of Graduate Studies, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain
| | - Yin-Ru Chiang
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ashraf M El Nayal
- Environmental Biotechnology Program, Life Sciences Department, College of Graduate Studies, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain
| | - Raeid M M Abed
- Biology Department, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
| | - Nasser Abotalib
- Environmental Biotechnology Program, Life Sciences Department, College of Graduate Studies, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain
| | - Wael Ismail
- Environmental Biotechnology Program, Life Sciences Department, College of Graduate Studies, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain.
| |
Collapse
|