Letter
Engineering, Environmental
Juan Guzman
Summary: The authors isolated a polystyrene-degrading bacterium from the gut of a superworm and identified it as Pseudomonas aeruginosa DSM 50071. However, claiming that the isolated strain is the same as the original DSM 50071 strain is misleading. Additional steps should be taken to label and identify the strain accurately.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yumeng Wang, Liping Luo, Xin Li, Jiaming Wang, Hongxuan Wang, Chen Chen, Hongqin Guo, Tianfang Han, Aifen Zhou, Xin Zhao
Summary: The larvae of superworms and yellow mealworms can survive on plastic diets, but the former has decreased weight while the latter has increased weight. Superworms consume more polystyrene and polyurethane than yellow mealworms, but both species show similar changes in the chemical groups of the plastics. The gut microbial community of both species changes with the type of plastic and larvae species.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jiaming Wang, Yumeng Wang, Xin Li, Yue Weng, Yijing Wang, Xiaoyu Han, Mu Peng, Aifen Zhou, Xin Zhao
Summary: Long-term sole plastic diet has detrimental effects on the growth and life cycle of insect larvae. The gut of yellow mealworms is more suitable for the degradation of both PE and PS plastics, while the gut of superworms is more suitable for the degradation of PE plastics. There is a strong association between the gut microbiome and plastic degradation, especially for fungal microbiomes which are closely associated with larval species.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Panarat Arunrattiyakorn, Sirikwan Ponprateep, Nirawan Kaennonsang, Yoktip Charapok, Yotwadee Punphuet, Sukhumaporn Krajangsang, Piyatida Tangteerawatana, Anirut Limtrakul
Summary: This study successfully isolated polystyrene-degrading bacteria from the gut of superworms and demonstrated their ability to degrade polystyrene. Brevibacterium sp. EDX was identified as the most efficient strain. This research is significant for the development of plastic remediation processes.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shan-Shan Yang, Meng-Qi Ding, Lei He, Chun-Hong Zhang, Qing-Xiang Li, De-Feng Xing, Guang-Li Cao, Lei Zhao, Jie Ding, Nan-Qi Ren, Wei-Min Wu
Summary: The study demonstrated that larvae of yellow mealworms and superworms are able to biodegrade polypropylene through gut microbe-dependent depolymerization. The results highlight the important role of gut microbiomes in the degradation process of polypropylene in the larvae of these darkling beetles.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Bo-Yu Peng, Ying Sun, Zeyu Wu, Jiabin Chen, Zheng Shen, Xuefei Zhou, Wei-Min Wu, Yalei Zhang
Summary: This study characterized the biodegradation of polystyrene (PS) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) by Zophobas atratus larvae over a 28-day test period. The larvae were able to degrade PS and LDPE into microplastic particles, providing new insights into insect-mediated biodegradation of persistent plastics.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Liping Luo, Yumeng Wang, Hongqin Guo, Yuhang Yang, Nan Qi, Xin Zhao, Shuhong Gao, Aifen Zhou
Summary: The study demonstrates that superworm Zophobas atratus can efficiently degrade both polystyrene and polyurethane foam plastics, and the plastic degradation is associated with changes in gut microbial communities and digestive enzyme activities.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yu Lou, Yiran Li, Baiyun Lu, Qiang Liu, Shan-Shan Yang, Bingfeng Liu, Nanqi Ren, Wei-Min Wu, Defeng Xing
Summary: The study found that the yellow mealworms supplemented with bran had higher degradation efficiency of polystyrene and low density polyethylene, and the addition of bran and plastic mixture in the diet contributed to the survival and growth of the mealworms. The gut microbiome of the mealworms was closely associated with the diet type, playing an important role in the oxidation process and degradation of plastics.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Shan Jiang, Tingting Su, Jingjing Zhao, Zhanyong Wang
Summary: The larvae of yellow mealworm, greater wax moth, and superworm have demonstrated the ability to degrade polystyrene, with superworm showing the strongest consumption capacity. Changes in the gut microbiota were observed after feeding polystyrene to the larvae of these insects.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Jiarui Sun, Apoorva Prabhu, Samuel T. N. Aroney, Christian Rinke
Summary: The study examined the impact of feeding superworms on polystyrene, bran, or under starvation conditions on their gut microbiome. It was found that polystyrene feeding led to reduced microbial diversity, presence of pathogens, and negative impacts on host health. Recovered metagenome-assembled genomes linked specific bacteria genera such as Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus, and Corynebacterium to polystyrene degradation.
MICROBIAL GENOMICS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yijing Wang, Xin Zhao, Jiaming Wang, Yue Weng, Yumeng Wang, Xin Li, Xiaoyu Han
Summary: The discovery that insect larvae can feed on foam plastics offers a potential solution for biodegradation of plastic waste. This study investigated the effects of different polymerization types of plastics on larvae growth, gut microbial communities, and functional microbes. The results showed that while weight gains were observed in plastic-fed groups, the survival rates of the larvae decreased significantly, especially in the group fed with ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA). The gut microbiomes of the larvae also exhibited changes in both bacterial and fungal communities when fed with different polymerization types of plastics, suggesting an association between core gut microbiomes and plastic diet types.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zhi Chen, Yilan Zhang, Ruizhi Xing, Christopher Rensing, Jian Lu, Mingli Chen, Sining Zhong, Shungui Zhou
Summary: This study demonstrates the oxidative decomposition of polystyrene (PS) in the gut of superworms and reveals its effect on plastic metabolism. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were found to be generated extensively in the larva gut, and PS consumption led to a significant increase in ROS. Further investigation suggested that the oxidative depolymerization of PS was caused by the combinatorial effect of ROS and extracellular oxidases of gut microbes. This work provides new insights into the underlying biochemical mechanisms of plastic degradation in the gut.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Min-Geun Kang, Min-Jin Kwak, Younghoon Kim
Summary: Researchers discovered that Enterobacter hormaechei LG3, a facultative anaerobic bacterial strain isolated from the gut of mealworms, can oxidize and depolymerize polystyrene under anaerobic conditions. The bacterium formed a biofilm on the plastic surface and demonstrated effective biodegradation of polystyrene. Degradative enzymes and changes in gene expression patterns were identified, indicating the potential of anaerobic biodegradation by polystyrene-degrading bacteria.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Indra Nyamjav, Yejin Jang, Ye Eun Lee, Sukkyoo Lee
Summary: Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is widely used worldwide, but its accumulation in the environment poses a significant global problem. Microbial degradation of plastic waste is an effective and eco-friendly method, but efficient degradation of pure PVC film has not been reported. This study investigates the biodegradation of PVC by Citrobacter koseri and gut microbiota, showing potential for unplasticized PVC degradation.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yingbo Yuan, Pan Liu, Yi Zheng, Qingbin Li, Junling Bian, Quanfeng Liang, Tianyuan Su, Longyang Dian, Qingsheng Qi
Summary: Polyolefin plastics, widely used in our daily life, are difficult to degrade due to their stable carbon-carbon bonds. This study isolated a Raoultella sp. DY2415 strain from petroleum-contaminated soil, which can degrade polyethylene and polystyrene films. After 60 days, the weight of UV-irradiated polyethylene film and polystyrene film decreased by 8% and 2% respectively, and scanning electron microscopy revealed apparent microbial colonization and holes on the film surface. Fourier transform infrared spectrometer analysis showed the introduction of new oxygen-containing functional groups into the polyolefin structure. The study provides a basis for further investigation of the biodegradation mechanism.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Bo Zheng, Yinchao He, Pengxiang Zhang, Yi-Xin Huo, Yanbin Yin
Summary: This study curated experimentally characterized polyphenol utilization proteins (PUPs) and their homologs, identified potential players in polyphenol metabolism in the human gut microbiome, and found that Africans have higher abundance and prevalence of PUP homologs and gene clusters than other populations.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Yu Yang, Lin Hu, Xiaoxi Li, Jialei Wang, Guishan Jin
Summary: Mealworms have nitrogen-fixing activity facilitated by gut microbiota, which makes them potential candidates for plastic waste up-recycling.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Xiaoyan Ma, Lianjie Ma, Yi-Xin Huo
Summary: This review discusses recent engineering strategies targeting the transcription machinery, aiming to reprogram the resource allocation pattern from growth to production. By rearranging the gene regulatory network, a production-oriented phenotype can be constructed, fully harnessing the potential of microbial cell factories.
TRENDS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Tong Wu, Zhenya Chen, Shuyuan Guo, Cuiying Zhang, Yi-Xin Huo
Summary: This study engineered an alcohol-regulated transcription factor, BmoR, and obtained various mutants with remarkable properties. These mutants showed high sensitivity and specificity in detecting different alcohols, paving the way for in situ detection in biofuel and wine industries.
ACS SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemical Research Methods
Ning Wang, Yi-Xin Huo
Summary: With the advancement of sequencing and multi-omics analysis technologies, it has become possible to elucidate the biosynthetic pathways for plant or microbial natural products. This article summarizes the process of data analysis, discusses the principles of designing omics samples, and explores the challenges of identifying functional enzymes and the potential of machine learning in elucidating biosynthetic pathways.
CURRENT OPINION IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jiheng Tian, Baowen Xing, Mengyuan Li, Changgeng Xu, Yi-Xin Huo, Shuyuan Guo
Summary: Bacillus subtilis is a versatile microbial cell factory that can produce valuable proteins and value-added chemicals. Researchers have developed an efficient CRISPR-Cas9 method for large-scale and scarless genome engineering in Bacillus subtilis. They were able to delete DNA fragments up to 134.3 kb, 3.5 times longer than previous reports, with a positivity rate of 100%. The study also investigated the effects of using a heterologous NHEJ system, linear donor DNA, and various donor DNA lengths on the engineering efficiencies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yuhui Du, Wei Song, Zhiqiu Yin, Shengbo Wu, Jiaheng Liu, Ning Wang, Hua Jin, Jianjun Qiao, Yi-Xin Huo
Summary: A high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly of Azadirachta indica was constructed, providing insights into its genome architecture and facilitating comparative genomic analysis. The estimated genome size is 281 Mb, with 115 Mb of repetitive elements and 25,767 protein-coding genes. Evolutionary analysis suggests no whole-genome duplication, but recent duplications of some genes and genomic segments. Specific clusters of secondary metabolites, TPS genes, and CYP genes were identified, with many located on chromosome 13, indicating its importance in terpene biosynthesis in A. indica.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tong Wu, Yumei Liu, Jinsheng Liu, Zhenya Chen, Yi-Xin Huo
Summary: This article comprehensively summarizes the biosynthetic pathways of diols from renewable biomass in Escherichia coli and discusses the metabolic-engineering strategies and dynamic regulation methods to enhance diol production. The challenges in diol biosynthesis and potential methods to improve the diol-producing ability of the host are also proposed.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiaotao Cheng, Mengli Xia, Yu Yang
Summary: This study reports a bacterium Acinetobacter sp. BIT-H3 isolated from the gut of plastic-eating mealworm, which showed the ability to grow on and degrade vulcanized rubber waste. The bacterium was found to penetrate the rubber and reduce its tensile strength and crosslink density. Genomic and transcriptional analysis revealed five enzymes responsible for the degradation of vulcanized rubber. These findings provide a new approach for the development of biodegradation methods for vulcanized rubber waste disposal, utilizing rubber-degrading microorganisms from insect gut.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Correction
Biochemical Research Methods
Hao Guo, Huiyan Wang, Tongtong Chen, Liwei Guo, Lars M. Blank, Birgitta E. Ebert, Yi-Xin Huo
ACS SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yan Xia, Lichao Sun, Zeyu Liang, Yingjie Guo, Jing Li, Dan Tang, Yi-Xin Huo, Shuyuan Guo
Summary: SpRY overcomes the PAM recognition barrier in Bacillus subtilis and enables the development of a highly efficient PAM-less base editing toolbox. This toolbox allows for multiplexed gene editing and has been successfully applied in gene knockout and translation control. It shows great potential in metabolic engineering and codon expansion.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Hao Guo, Ning Wang, Tingting Ding, Bo Zheng, Liwei Guo, Chaoyong Huang, Wuyuan Zhang, Lichao Sun, Xiaoyan Ma, Yi-Xin Huo
Summary: In this study, a selection system using engineered tRNAs and marker genes was developed to screen overproducers of specific amino acids. Random mutation libraries of Escherichia coli and Corynebacterium glutamicum were screened using growth-based and/or fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS)-based screening to obtain overproducers of five amino acids. This study provides a universal strategy for screening overproducers of proteinogenic and non-proteinogenic amino acids in amber-stop-codon-recoded or non-recoded hosts.
METABOLIC ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Biophysics
Haojie Jin, Jiaqi Zhang, Yan Wang, Wanzhao Ge, Yike Jing, Xiaoyu Cao, Yixin Huo, Yujie Fu
Summary: In this study, a live-cell bio-monitoring system was proposed to assess phenylalanine bioavailability in real time in cyanobacteria based on codon de-generacy and species-specific usage bias. Increasing intracellular phenylalanine bioavailability could promote cell growth and provide a screening method for phenylalanine content.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2024)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Hao Guo, Huiyang Wang, Tongtong Chen, Liwei Guo, Lars M. Blank, Birgitta E. Ebert, Yi-Xin Huo
Summary: This study successfully engineered the critical amino acid residues of Erg7p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to lower its enzyme activity, resulting in increased production of triterpenoids.
ACS SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhenya Chen, Tongtong Chen, Shengzhu Yu, Yi-Xin Huo
Summary: This study reported a high activity PobA mutant that can enhance the biosynthesis efficiency of GA and pyrogallol.
BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS
(2022)
