Multi-omics reveal an overlooked pathway for H2S production induced by bacterial biogenesis from composting

Liu Yang; Yue Sun; Jingxiao Zhang; Longji Zhu; Zihan Xu; Yao Liang; Xiaoyang Song; Xiaomeng Chen

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.136827

Multi-omics reveal an overlooked pathway for H₂S production induced by bacterial biogenesis from composting

J Hazard Mater. 2024 Dec 9:485:136827. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.136827. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Liu Yang¹, Yue Sun¹, Jingxiao Zhang¹, Longji Zhu², Zihan Xu³, Yao Liang¹, Xiaoyang Song³, Xiaomeng Chen⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
² Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China.
³ College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China.
⁴ College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China. Electronic address: chenxiaomeng@neau.edu.cn.

PMID: 39662346
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.136827

Abstract

Sulfate reduction has long been considered a leading cause of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) emissions from composting, causing serious air pollution and health threats. H₂S biogenesis through cysteine cleavage is a known pathway for bacteria to resist oxidative stress. However, whether the biogenesis pathway exacerbates H₂S emission during composting with dramatic temperature changes and oxidative stress is largely unknown. Here, we used DL-propargylglycine (PAG), an inhibitor of cysteine lyase (cystathionine γ-lyase), to explore the contribution of biogenesis pathway to H₂S production during composting with different aeration rates. We found that PAG addition significantly inhibited H₂S emission by 45.52 % and 19.74 % at high and low aeration rates, respectively. PAG addition reduced the diversity of core bacteria associated with H₂S production. Metagenomic and metaproteomic analysis further revealed that PAG decreased the abundance of sulfate reduction genes, down-regulated the expression of cysteine lyases, and up-regulated the catalase expression. Therefore, both sulfate reduction and biosynthesis contributed to the H₂S production, and PAG inhibited both pathways. Finally, microbial pure culture experiment further verified the effectiveness of PAG in reducing H₂S emission of composting. This work reveals an overlooked pathway for H₂S production during composting, which fills the research gap in the role of the biogenesis pathway in composting H₂S emission. This provides breakthrough guidance for future environmental management and pollution control at source.

Keywords: Composting; DL-propargylglycine; H(2)S biogenesis; Multi-omics; Sulfate reduction.