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Synergy effects of Methylomonas koyamae and Hyphomicrobium methylovorum under methanethiol stress

  • Environmental Biotechnology
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Abstract   

Methanotrophs are able to metabolize volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs), excrete organic carbon during CH4 oxidation, and influence microbial community structure and function of the ecosystem. In return, microbial community structure and environmental factors can affect the growth metabolism of methanotrophs. In this study, Methylomonas koyamae and Hyphomicrobium methylovorum were used for model organisms, and methanethiol (MT) was chosen for a typical VOSC to investigate the synergy effects under VOSC stress. The results showed that when Hyphomicrobium methylovorum was co-cultured with Methylomonas koyamae in the medium with CH4 used as the carbon source, the co-culture had better MT tolerance relative to Methylomonas koyamae and oxidized all CH4 within 120 h, even at the initial MT concentration of 2000 mg m−3. The optimal co-culture ratios of Methylomonas koyamae to Hyphomicrobium methylovorum were 4:1–12:1. Although MT could be converted spontaneously to dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), H2S, and CS2 in air, faster losses of MT, DMDS, H2S, and CS2 were observed in each strain mono-culture and the co-culture. Compared with Hyphomicrobium methylovorum, MT was degraded more quickly in the Methylomonas koyamae culture. During the co-culture, the CH4 oxidation process of Methylomonas koyamae could provide carbon and energy sources for the growth of Hyphomicrobium methylovorum, while Hyphomicrobium methylovorum oxidized MT to help Methylomonas koyamae detoxify. These findings are helpful to understand the synergy effects of Methylomonas koyamae and Hyphomicrobium methylovorum under MT stress and enrich the role of methanotrophs in the sulfur biogeochemical cycle.

Key points

• The co-culture of Methylomonas and Hyphomicrobium has better tolerance to CH 3 SH.

• Methylomonas can provide carbon sources for the growth of Hyphomicrobium.

• The co-culture of Methylomonas and Hyphomicrobium enhances the removal of CH 4 and CH 3 SH.

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Data availability statement

The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

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Funding

This work was financially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province with Grant No. LZ20E080002, the National Natural Science Foundation of China with Grant Nos. 91851109 and 41911530193, and the Central Guide Local Science and Technology Development of **njiang Uygur Autonomous Region with Grant No. ZYYD2023B16.

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  1. Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, 310012, China

    **n Zhang, Lei Jiang & Ruo He

  2. Department of Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China

    Hua-Jun Li, **g Wang & Ruo He

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  2. Hua-Jun Li
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  3. Lei Jiang
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XZ performed the experiments and wrote the manuscript. HJL, LJ, and JW performed the experiments and analyzed the data. RH conceived the project and wrote the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Ruo He.

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Zhang, X., Li, HJ., Jiang, L. et al. Synergy effects of Methylomonas koyamae and Hyphomicrobium methylovorum under methanethiol stress. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 107, 3099–3111 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-023-12472-w

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