Metabolic engineering calls for new bacterial chassis that combine robust metabolic and physiological traits with genetic tractability. We developed P…

Abstract Caldimonas thermodepolymerans DSM 15344, a moderately thermophilic bacterium, has emerged as a promising candidate for next-generation industrial biotechnology (NGIB) due to its ability to ut...

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is a highly biodegradable microbial polyester, even in marine environments. In this study, we incorporated an enrichment culture-like approach in the process of isolating ma...

The turnover of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in soil regulated by biodegradable microplastics (MPs) has garnered much attention due to its profound impact on the storage and stability of soil organic matter. However, the transformation and reactivity of plant-derived and microbially derived DOM by microorganisms adapted to biodegradable MPs, and the involved microbial physiological processes, remain nearly unknown. Here, we added virgin and aged polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) to agricultural soils and incubated for 56 days. Using stable isotope techniques, reactomics, and metagenomics, we found that the addition of both virgin and aged PLA induced hydroxylation, demethylation, and dehydrogenation of lignin-derived DOM, resulting in a 3-fold increase in their oxidation degree. PLA activated the enzymatic pathway for lignin-derived DOM decomposition and downregulated genes involved in bacterial anabolism, such as those related to protein, amino sugar, and peptidoglycan biosynthesis. In contrast, PHA increased the content of microbially derived DOM compounds such as proteins and amino sugars by 2.1-fold relative to the control with peptide chain elongation. PHA resulted in the degradation of lignin-derived DOM into pyruvate and acetyl-CoA, accelerated bacterial ATP synthesis, the de novo biosynthesis of proteins and peptidoglycan, and cell renewal and death, thereby increasing PHA- and soil organic matter-derived microbial necromass carbon. Our study provides new insights into the impact of biodegradable MPs on soil DOM transformation and underscores the importance of the microbial physiological processes involved.

Abstract An ever-growing body of literature evidences the protective role of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) against a plethora of mostly physical stressors in prokaryotic cells. To date, most of the res...

Pseudomonas chlororaphis PCL1606 (PcPCL1606) is a model rhizobacterium used to study beneficial bacterial interactions with the plant rhizosphere. Man…

Our planet has been burdened by pollution resulting from the extensive use of petroleum-derived plastics for the last few decades. Since the discovery of biodegradable plastic alternatives, concerted efforts have been made to enhance their bioproduction. ...

This study introduces a Raman-based method for real-time monitoring of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) fermentation. It enables simultaneous PHA type classification, quantification of constituent monomers, heterogeneity analysis, and data-driven process feedback, providing a powerful tool for bioprocess optimization.