Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39774301›Full record

ArticlePLoS computational biology2025

A genome-scale metabolic model for the denitrifying bacterium Thauera sp. MZ1T accurately predicts degradation of pollutants and production of polymers.

Diego Tec-Campos, Juan D Tibocha-Bonilla, Celina Jiang, Anurag Passi, Deepan Thiruppathy, Cristal Zuñiga, Camila Posadas, Alejandro Zepeda, Karsten Zengler

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS computational biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Diego Tec-CamposFacultad de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México.ORCID 0000-0001-8819-4150
Juan D Tibocha-BonillaBioinformatics and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
Celina JiangDepartment of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
Anurag PassiDepartment of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0002-0448-794X
Deepan ThiruppathyDepartment of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California, United States of America.ORCID 0009-0000-0248-5329
Cristal ZuñigaDepartment of Biology, San Diego State University 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, California, United States of America.
Camila PosadasFacultad de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México.
Alejandro ZepedaFacultad de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México.ORCID 0000-0002-0587-5039
Karsten ZenglerDepartment of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0002-8062-3296

Funding

National Science Foundation DMS-2325172U.S. Department of Energy DE-AC36-08GO28308U.S. Department of Energy DE-SC0021234
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The denitrifying bacterium Thauera sp. MZ1T, a common member of microbial communities in wastewater treatment facilities, can produce different compounds from a range of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) sources under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. In these different conditions, Thauera modifies its metabolism to produce different compounds that influence the microbial community. In particular, Thauera sp. MZ1T produces different exopolysaccharides with floc-forming properties, impacting the physical disposition of wastewater consortia and the efficiency of nutrient assimilation by the microbial community. Under N-limiting conditions, Thauera sp. MZ1T decreases its growth rate and accelerates the accumulation of polyhydroxyalkanoate-related (PHA) compounds including polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), which plays a fundamental role as C and energy storage in this β-proteobacterium. However, the metabolic mechanisms employed by Thauera sp. MZ1T to assimilate and catabolize many of the different C and N sources under aerobic and anaerobic conditions remain unknown. Systems biology approaches such as genome-scale metabolic modeling have been successfully used to unveil complex metabolic mechanisms for various microorganisms. Here, we developed a comprehensive metabolic model (M-model) for Thauera sp. MZ1T (iThauera861), consisting of 1,744 metabolites, 2,384 reactions, and 861 genes. We validated the model experimentally using over 70 different C and N sources under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. iThauera861 achieved a prediction accuracy of 95% for growth on various C and N sources and close to 85% for assimilation of aromatic compounds under denitrifying conditions. The M-model was subsequently deployed to determine the effects of substrates, oxygen presence, and the C:N ratio on the production of PHB and exopolysaccharides (EPS), showing the highest polymer yields are achieved with nucleotides and amino acids under aerobic conditions. This comprehensive M-model will help reveal the metabolic processes by which this ubiquitous species influences communities in wastewater treatment systems and natural environments.

Indexed as

Models, BiologicalPolymersThaueraWater Pollutants, ChemicalBiodegradation, EnvironmentalDenitrificationGenome, BacterialNitrogenWastewaterNitrogenPolymersWastewaterWater Pollutants, Chemical

Identifiers

PMID39774301
PMCPMC11741664

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.