Microbiome-Based Framework for Achieving Simultaneous Efficient Transformation of Persistent Organic Pollutants and...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Microbiology
• Biogeochemistry
• Ecotoxicology

Background:

• Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are hazardous, environmentally persistent compounds requiring microbial degradation.
• Microbial transformation of POPs is known, but its integration with elemental biogeochemical cycles is poorly understood.
• Understanding this interplay is crucial for ecosystem function and pollutant remediation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the intricate relationship between POPs metabolism and elemental biogeochemical cycles.
• To highlight how microbial POPs transformation is embedded within broader elemental metabolism.
• To propose a framework for leveraging microbial strategies to enhance POPs degradation and element cycling.

Main Methods:

• Literature review synthesizing studies on microbial POPs transformation and biogeochemical cycles.
• Analysis of mechanisms linking POPs metabolism to elemental cycling (electron transfer, cross-feeding, etc.).
• Exploration of regulatory processes at gene expression and community levels.

Main Results:

• POPs transformation is deeply integrated with elemental metabolism via direct and indirect microbial mechanisms.
• Microorganisms regulate POPs degradation while maintaining elemental balance through dynamic metabolic control.
• Functional compensation and integrative strategies involving native and engineered microbiomes can enhance POPs degradation.

Conclusions:

• Microbial POPs transformation is an integral part of ecosystem element cycling, not an isolated process.
• Strategic integration of microbiome approaches with omics, modeling, and engineering is needed.
• This integrated approach can lead to predictable regulation of pollutant-element interactions and restore ecosystem multifunctionality.