title: Integrated multi-omics analyses reveal the biochemical mechanisms and phylogenetic relevance of anaerobic androgen biodegradation in the environment.
abstract: Steroid hormones, such as androgens, are common surface-water contaminants. However, literature on the ecophysiological relevance of steroid-degrading organisms in the environment, particularly in anoxic ecosystems, is extremely limited. We previously reported that Steroidobacter denitrificans anaerobically degrades androgens through the 2,3-seco pathway. In this study, the genome of Sdo. denitrificans was completely sequenced. Transcriptomic data revealed gene clusters that were distinctly expressed during anaerobic growth on testosterone. We isolated and characterized the bifunctional 1-testosterone hydratase/dehydrogenase, which is essential for anaerobic degradation of steroid A-ring. Because of apparent substrate preference of this molybdoenzyme, corresponding genes, along with the signature metabolites of the 2,3-seco pathway, were used as biomarkers to investigate androgen biodegradation in the largest sewage treatment plant in Taipei, Taiwan. Androgen metabolite analysis indicated that denitrifying bacteria in anoxic sewage use the 2,3-seco pathway to degrade androgens. Metagenomic analysis and PCR-based functional assays showed androgen degradation in anoxic sewage by Thauera spp. through the action of 1-testosterone hydratase/dehydrogenase. Our integrative 'omics' approach can be used for culture-independent investigations of the microbial degradation of structurally complex compounds where isotope-labeled substrates are not easily available.
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Fu-Chun
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.|Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Biodiversity Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Lung
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.|Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Biodiversity Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Sen-Lin
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chang-Ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Po-Hsiang
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Environmental Biotechnology Program, Life Sciences Department, College of Graduate Studies, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain.
authors.forename: Wael
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ismail
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Hsiang
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jiun-Yan
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1079-5834
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Cheng-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Ying
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.|Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Biodiversity Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yin-Ru
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Chiang
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D020563:Gammaproteobacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D016680:Genome, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D023281:Genomics; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology; D013624:Taiwan; D013739:Testosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D012722:Sewage; D013739:Testosterone; C520094:1-testosterone