Microbial response under sulfate stress in a sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification system

This study investigated the responses of the bacterial community structure and metabolic pathways in a sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification filter (SADF) system to fast elevated sulfate salinity, from 0.04 to 1.2% in 30 days. Results showed that the SADF system exhibited robust sulfate salinity...

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Main Authors: Yiqiang Chen, Xu Jiang, Juanjuan Zhao, Maosheng Yang, Yong Chen, Hong Ling, Yang Liu, Feng Deng, Zhu Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Microbiology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1615317/full
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author Yiqiang Chen
Yiqiang Chen
Xu Jiang
Juanjuan Zhao
Maosheng Yang
Yong Chen
Hong Ling
Yang Liu
Feng Deng
Zhu Wang
author_facet Yiqiang Chen
Yiqiang Chen
Xu Jiang
Juanjuan Zhao
Maosheng Yang
Yong Chen
Hong Ling
Yang Liu
Feng Deng
Zhu Wang
author_sort Yiqiang Chen
collection DOAJ
description This study investigated the responses of the bacterial community structure and metabolic pathways in a sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification filter (SADF) system to fast elevated sulfate salinity, from 0.04 to 1.2% in 30 days. Results showed that the SADF system exhibited robust sulfate salinity stress tolerance at low nitrate concentrations. In the context of sulfate scenarios, the genus Thiobacillus significantly proliferated and was identified as the dominant sulfur-oxidizing player in the SADF system, achieving a relative abundance of 63.79% under 1.2% sulfate salinity. Cooperative and competitive interactions were found in the SADF-related microorganisms, promoting stable denitrification performance under high salinity. Surprisingly, with a low hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 60 min, metagenomic sequencing revealed a upregulated abundance of functional genes encoding for enzymes associated with nitrogen and sulfur metabolism, while positive correlations were observed between these two pathways in response to sulfate salinity. Furthermore, global wastewater treatment plants were thoroughly explored for the distribution of the SADF-related microorganisms identified in this study. Interestingly, one-way ANOVA analysis showed that the SADF-related microorganisms were widely distributed globally, demonstrating their universality in potential engineering applications worldwide.
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publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
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spelling doaj-art-5b64a5d398d3464ca30a7301e35b84ac2025-08-20T02:31:48ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2025-06-011610.3389/fmicb.2025.16153171615317Microbial response under sulfate stress in a sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification systemYiqiang Chen0Yiqiang Chen1Xu Jiang2Juanjuan Zhao3Maosheng Yang4Yong Chen5Hong Ling6Yang Liu7Feng Deng8Zhu Wang9Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Jiangsu Environmental Engineering Technology Co., Ltd, Jiangsu Environmental Protection Group Co., Ltd., Nanjing, ChinaInstitute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, ChinaKey Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, ChinaCollege of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Jiangsu Environmental Engineering Technology Co., Ltd, Jiangsu Environmental Protection Group Co., Ltd., Nanjing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Jiangsu Environmental Engineering Technology Co., Ltd, Jiangsu Environmental Protection Group Co., Ltd., Nanjing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Jiangsu Environmental Engineering Technology Co., Ltd, Jiangsu Environmental Protection Group Co., Ltd., Nanjing, ChinaCollege of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, ChinaInstitute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, ChinaThis study investigated the responses of the bacterial community structure and metabolic pathways in a sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification filter (SADF) system to fast elevated sulfate salinity, from 0.04 to 1.2% in 30 days. Results showed that the SADF system exhibited robust sulfate salinity stress tolerance at low nitrate concentrations. In the context of sulfate scenarios, the genus Thiobacillus significantly proliferated and was identified as the dominant sulfur-oxidizing player in the SADF system, achieving a relative abundance of 63.79% under 1.2% sulfate salinity. Cooperative and competitive interactions were found in the SADF-related microorganisms, promoting stable denitrification performance under high salinity. Surprisingly, with a low hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 60 min, metagenomic sequencing revealed a upregulated abundance of functional genes encoding for enzymes associated with nitrogen and sulfur metabolism, while positive correlations were observed between these two pathways in response to sulfate salinity. Furthermore, global wastewater treatment plants were thoroughly explored for the distribution of the SADF-related microorganisms identified in this study. Interestingly, one-way ANOVA analysis showed that the SADF-related microorganisms were widely distributed globally, demonstrating their universality in potential engineering applications worldwide.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1615317/fullsulfur-based autotrophic denitrification filtersulfate salinityThiobacillussalinity stressmicrobial interactions
spellingShingle Yiqiang Chen
Yiqiang Chen
Xu Jiang
Juanjuan Zhao
Maosheng Yang
Yong Chen
Hong Ling
Yang Liu
Feng Deng
Zhu Wang
Microbial response under sulfate stress in a sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification system
Frontiers in Microbiology
sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification filter
sulfate salinity
Thiobacillus
salinity stress
microbial interactions
title Microbial response under sulfate stress in a sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification system
title_full Microbial response under sulfate stress in a sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification system
title_fullStr Microbial response under sulfate stress in a sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification system
title_full_unstemmed Microbial response under sulfate stress in a sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification system
title_short Microbial response under sulfate stress in a sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification system
title_sort microbial response under sulfate stress in a sulfur based autotrophic denitrification system
topic sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification filter
sulfate salinity
Thiobacillus
salinity stress
microbial interactions
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1615317/full
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