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Resuscitation-promoting factor enhances PFOA biodegradation and modulates cellular stress responses in two
Mengting Yang1, Keyi Zhang1, Faqian Sun1
1Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Digital Intelligence Monitoring and Restoration of Watershed Environment, College of Geography and Environmental Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China.
Abstract:
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a highly persistent and toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), poses significant environmental and health risks. Microbial degradation offers a promising remediation strategy but is limited by the scarcity and low efficiency of known degraders. Here, two PFOA-degrading strains, Alcaligenes sp. MT1 and Pseudomonas sp. MT3, were isolated and characterized. Whole-genome analysis identified multiple genes potentially involved in fluorinated compound transformation. Supplementation with resuscitation-promoting factor (Rpf) significantly enhanced PFOA degradation, with an optimal dosage of 1.5% (v/v), increasing removal efficiencies by 16.8% (MT1) and 18.7% (MT3) relative to controls. Rpf improved cellular performance by elevating antioxidant enzyme activities (peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase) and Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase activity while reducing malondialdehyde levels, indicating enhanced oxidative stress tolerance and energy metabolism. Consistently, key genes associated with decarboxylation and dehalogenation pathways were markedly upregulated. LC-MS/MS analysis revealed that PFOA degradation involved sequential decarboxylation and defluorination, with Rpf affecting metabolite abundance but not the core degradation pathways. These findings demonstrate that Rpf-mediated activation effectively enhances microbial PFOA degradation and provides a promising strategy for PFAS bioremediation.