An assessment of the functional enzymes and corresponding genes in chicken manure and wheat straw composted with addition of clay via meta-genomic analysis

Abstract

The transcription and expression of functional genes and metabolic function of enzymes governed the transformation of nutrients during composting process. The diversities of functional enzymes and corresponding genes were investigated in 50 days chicken manure composting through six treatments amended with six different dosage of clay in this study. The result revealed that the relative abundance of functional enzymes and related genes was distinctively different among all treatments. The addition of clay significantly enhanced the diversity of functional genes and enzymes at different levels in this study, similarity analysis also showed the different proportion of clay addition influence activity of functional genes and enzymes in varying degrees. The higher percentage of clay addition showed more significant promotion on dynamics of functional genes and enzymes. While, at six major functional level, the gene expression and related enzymatic activity was inhibited with addition of 10% clay. In conclusion, application of clay in chicken manure composting could effectively improve the relative abundance of functional genes and enzymes, so as to promote degradation of organic matter during composting.