Anaerobic reactor applied to laundry wastewater treatment: Unveiling the microbial community by gene and genome-centric approaches

Author(s)

Delforno, T. P. ^{[1, 2]} ; Belgini, Daiane R. B. ^[2] ; Hidalgo, K. J. ^[2] ; Centurion, Victor B. ^[2] ; Lacerda-Junior, V, G. ; Duarte, Iolanda C. S. ^[1] ; Varesche, M. B. A. ^[3] ; Oliveira, V. M. ^[4]

Affiliation

^[1] Fed Univ Sao Carlos UFSCar, Dept Biol DBio, Sorocaba - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Campinas, UNICAMP, Microbial Resources Div, Res Ctr Chem Biol & Agr CPQBA, Campinas - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Hydraul & Sanitat, Lab Biol Proc, Sao Carlos - Brazil

^[4] Lacerda-Junior, G., V, Univ Estadual Campinas, UNICAMP, Microbial Resources Div, Res Ctr Chem Biol & Agr CPQBA, Campinas - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION; v. 149, APR 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

Gene and genome-centric approaches were applied to investigate the microbial taxonomic and metabolic diversity profiles from a lab-scale anaerobic reactor applied to laundry wastewater treatment with increasing concentrations of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS). Therefore, metagenomic analysis was carried out with reactor samples collected under three conditions, (i) Stage I, the reactor was fed with synthetic medium, (ii) Stage II, synthetic medium was replaced by diluted laundry wastewater with specific LAS loading rates (SLLRs) of 1.0 +/- 0.3 mgLASgTVS(-1)d(-1) and (iii) Stage III, SLLRs increased to 2.7 +/- 0.7 mgLASgTVS(-1) d(-1). Shotgun metagenomic sequencing was performed on an Illumina HiSeq 2 x 150 bp platform. Gene-centric analysis of each step of the metabolic pathway (fumarate addition, beta-oxidation, ring cleavage and desulfonation) for anaerobic aromatic degradation showed eight over-representative genera (Achromobacter, Pelodictyon, Pseudomonas, Psychrobacter, Rhodococcus, Stenotrophomonas, Sulfurovum and Syntrophobacter), suggesting a microbial core with an important role in LAS biodegradation. Some of these genera were also recovered through a differential binning method, representing fifteen bacterial and one archaeal metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs). Biodegradation pathway reconstruction of LAS using six MAGs unveiled the syntrophism for complete degradation of the LAS molecule. Only the MAGs with taxonomic annotation for Syntrophobacter showed genetic potential for fumarate addition, whereas in the ring cleavage, there was a predominance of genes in MAGs with taxonomic annotation for Pseudomonas fragi and Rhodococcus. This work represents the first report of genome-centric approach to study biological reactors applied in anionic surfactant degradation, contributing with detailed metabolic information of the key microbial actors in LAS degradation and opening perspectives for future biotechnological strategies aiming at bioaugmentation and/or biostimulation of indigenous microbial populations. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/06246-7 - Biorefinery concept applied to biological wastewater treatment plants: environmental pollution control coupled with material and energy recovery
• Grantee: Marcelo Zaiat
• Support type: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 14/16426-0 - Metagenomics of microbiota of anaerobic reactors applied in anionic surfactant degradation in commercial laundry wastewater
• Grantee: Tiago Palladino Delforno
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate