Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41721729›Full record

ArticleThe ISME journal2026

Candidatus Dermatophostum as a novel genus of polyphosphate-accumulating organisms for high-strength wastewater treatment.

Hui Wang, Ze Zhao, Limin Lin, Ao Dong, Ye Deng, Jizhong Zhou, Feng Ju

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The ISME journal, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

7 authors.

Hui WangZhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Low-Carbon Biosynthesis, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China.
Ze ZhaoZhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Low-Carbon Biosynthesis, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China.
Limin LinZhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Low-Carbon Biosynthesis, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China.
Ao DongZhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Low-Carbon Biosynthesis, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China.
Ye DengState Key Laboratory of Regional Environment and Sustainability, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085,  China.ORCID 0000-0002-7584-0632
Jizhong ZhouInstitute for Environmental Genomics, Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, United States.
Feng JuZhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Low-Carbon Biosynthesis, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China.ORCID 0000-0003-4137-5928

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 42207546National Natural Science Foundation of China 42477517Westlake University-Muyuan Joint Research Institute WU2024MY003
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Dermatophilaceae polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs), formerly classified as Tetrasphaera PAOs, play pivotal roles in enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR). However, their phylogenetic diversity, ecological preferences, and metabolic traits remain poorly characterized, and a robust marker gene for their classification is lacking. Here, we performed an extensive phylogenomic and metabolic analysis of Dermatophilaceae PAOs utilizing 46 newly recovered metagenome-assembled genomes from a laboratory-scale EBPR reactor treating high-strength wastewater and full-scale wastewater treatment plants. These analyses revealed a previously uncharacterized PAO genus, named here as Candidatus Dermatophostum, which shows specific preference for high-phosphorus environments. Its representative species, Ca. Dermatophostum ammonifactor, was enriched in the EBPR reactor and its PAO phenotype was confirmed by polyphosphate staining and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Integrative meta-omics combining genomic, transcriptomic, and protein structure analyses revealed its specialized metabolic capabilities for phosphate metabolism, glycogen synthesis, and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium. Moreover, Ca. Dermatophostum was found to be widely distributed across wastewater treatment plants worldwide, underscoring both its diverse metabolic capabilities and potential engineering implications for mitigating nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions for EBPR system. Finally, we propose a ppk1-based classification framework that resolves Dermatophilaceae PAOs into six distinct clades, consistent with whole-genome phylogeny, and demonstrates that ppk1 can serve as a reliable marker gene for tracking these populations. Together, these findings expand the ecological and functional understanding of Dermatophilaceae PAOs and highlight their promise for advancing sustainable wastewater treatment and resource recovery.

Indexed as

PolyphosphatesWastewaterWater PurificationMetagenomePhosphorusPhylogenyPhosphorusPolyphosphatesWastewaterDermatophilaceae, ppk1 markerenhanced biological phosphorus removalmetabolic mechanismphylogenetic diversitypolyphosphate-accumulating organisms

Identifiers

PMID41721729
PMCPMC12978653

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.