title: Bioreactor microbial ecosystems for thiocyanate and cyanide degradation unravelled with genome-resolved metagenomics.
abstract: Gold ore processing uses cyanide (CN(-) ), which often results in large volumes of thiocyanate- (SCN(-) ) contaminated wastewater requiring treatment. Microbial communities can degrade SCN(-) and CN(-) , but little is known about their membership and metabolic potential. Microbial-based remediation strategies will benefit from an ecological understanding of organisms involved in the breakdown of SCN(-) and CN(-) into sulfur, carbon and nitrogen compounds. We performed metagenomic analysis of samples from two laboratory-scale bioreactors used to study SCN(-) and CN(-) degradation. Community analysis revealed the dominance of Thiobacillus spp., whose genomes harbour a previously unreported operon for SCN(-) degradation. Genome-based metabolic predictions suggest that a large portion of each bioreactor community is autotrophic, relying not on molasses in reactor feed but using energy gained from oxidation of sulfur compounds produced during SCN(-) degradation. Heterotrophs, including a bacterium from a previously uncharacterized phylum, compose a smaller portion of the reactor community. Predation by phage and eukaryotes is predicted to affect community dynamics. Genes for ammonium oxidation and denitrification were detected, indicating the potential for nitrogen removal, as required for complete remediation of wastewater. These findings suggest optimization strategies for reactor design, such as improved aerobic/anaerobic partitioning and elimination of organic carbon from reactor feed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Rose S
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5402-8979
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Kantor
authors.affiliation: Center for Bioprocess Engineering Research, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: A Wynand
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: van Zyl
authors.affiliation: Center for Bioprocess Engineering Research, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: van Hille
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Brian C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Center for Bioprocess Engineering Research, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Susan T L
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.|Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jillian F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Banfield
mesh_terms: D064751:Ammonium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D003486:Cyanides / Q000378:metabolism*; D058440:Denitrification / Q000235:genetics; D017753:Ecosystem; D056186:Metagenomics / Q000379:methods; D008906:Mining / Q000379:methods; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D013455:Sulfur / Q000378:metabolism; D013457:Sulfur Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D013855:Thiobacillus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013861:Thiocyanates / Q000378:metabolism*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D064751:Ammonium Compounds; D002244:Carbon; D003486:Cyanides; D009584:Nitrogen; D013455:Sulfur; D013457:Sulfur Compounds; D013861:Thiocyanates; D062065:Wastewater; C031760:thiocyanate