Physiological and transcriptomic analyses reveal CuO nanoparticle inhibition of anabolic and catabolic activities of sulfate-reducing bacterium. (April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Zhaoyu; Gao, Shu-hong; Jin, Min; Sun, Shengjie; Lu, Ji; Yang, Ping; Bond, Philip L.; Yuan, Zhiguo; Guo, Jianhua
• Is Part Of: Environment international. Volume 125(2019)
• Page Start: 65
• Page End: 74
• Publication Date: 2019-04
• Subjects: CuO nanoparticles -- Ecotoxicity -- Sulfate-reducing bacteria -- Genome-wide RNA sequencing; Environmental protection -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Environmental monitoring -- Periodicals; Environmental Monitoring -- Periodicals; Environnement -- Protection -- Périodiques; Hygiène du milieu -- Périodiques; Environnement -- Surveillance -- Périodiques; Environmental health; Environmental monitoring; Environmental protection; Periodicals; 333.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.01.058
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0160-4120

Abstract

Abstract: The widespread use of CuO nanoparticles (NPs) results in their continuous release into the environment, which could pose risks to public health and to microbial ecosystems. Following consumption, NPs will initially enter into sewer systems and interact with and potentially influence sewer microbial communities. An understanding of the response of microbes in sewers, particularly sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), to the CuO NPs induced stress is important as hydrogen sulfide produced by SRB can cause sewer corrosion and odour emissions. In this study, we elucidated how the anabolic and catabolic processes of a model SRB, Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hidenborough ( D. vulgaris ), respond to CuO NPs. Physiological analyses indicated that the exposure of the culture to CuO NPs at elevated concentrations (>50 mg/L) inhibited both its anabolic and catabolic activities, as revealed by lowered cell proliferation and sulfate reduction rate. The antibacterial effects of CuO NPs were mainly attributed to the overproduction of reactive oxygen species. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that genes encoding for flagellar assembly and some genes involved in electron transfer and respiration were down-regulated, while genes for the ferric uptake regulator (Fur) were up-regulated. Moreover, the CuO NPs exposure significantly up-regulated genes involved in protein synthesis and ATP synthesis. These results suggest that CuO NPs inhibited energy conversion, cell mobility, and iron starvation to D. vulgaris . Meanwhile, D. vulgaris attempted to respond to the stress of CuO NPs by increasing protein and ATP synthesis. These findings offer new insights into the bacterial-nanoparticles interaction at the transcriptional level, and advance our understanding of impacts of CuO NPs on SRB in the environment. Graphical abstract: Unlabelled Image Highlights: CuO NPs (> 50 mg/L) inhibited both anabolic and catabolic activities of SRB . Over-generation of ROS plays a key role in toxicity of CuO NPs. Genes involved in flagellar assembly and electron transfer were down-regulated. Genes involved in the ferric uptake regulator (Fur) were up-regulated.