Nutritional inter-dependencies and a carbazole-dioxygenase are key elements of a bacterial consortium relying on a Sphingomonas for the degradation of the fungicide thiabendazole.

Abstract

Thiabendazole (TBZ), is a persistent fungicide/anthelminthic and a serious environmental threat. We previously enriched a TBZ-degrading bacterial consortium and provided first evidence for a Sphingomonas involvement in TBZ transformation. Here, using a multi-omic approach combined with DNA-stable isotope probing (SIP) we verified the key degrading role of Sphingomonas and identify potential microbial interactions governing consortium functioning. SIP and amplicon sequencing analysis of the heavy and light DNA fraction of cultures grown on 13 C-labelled versus 12 C-TBZ showed that 66% of the 13 C-labelled TBZ was assimilated by Sphingomonas. Metagenomic analysis retrieved 18 metagenome-assembled genomes with the dominant belonging to Sphingomonas, Sinobacteriaceae, Bradyrhizobium, Filimonas and Hydrogenophaga. Meta-transcriptomics/-proteomics and non-target mass spectrometry suggested TBZ transformation by Sphingomonas via initial cleavage by a carbazole dioxygenase (car) to thiazole-4-carboxamidine (terminal compound) and catechol or a cleaved benzyl ring derivative, further transformed through an ortho-cleavage (cat) pathway. Microbial co-occurrence and gene expression networks suggested strong interactions between Sphingomonas and a Hydrogenophaga. The latter activated its cobalamin biosynthetic pathway and Sphingomonas its cobalamin salvage pathway to satisfy its B12 auxotrophy. Our findings indicate microbial interactions aligning with the 'black queen hypothesis' where Sphingomonas (detoxifier, B12 recipient) and Hydrogenophaga (B12 producer, enjoying detoxification) act as both helpers and beneficiaries.