Lignin Intermediates Lead to Phenyl Acid Formation and Microbial
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Prem et al. Biotechnol Biofuels (2021) 14:27 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13068-020-01855-0 Biotechnology for Biofuels RESEARCH Open Access Lignin intermediates lead to phenyl acid formation and microbial community shifts in meso- and thermophilic batch reactors Eva Maria Prem1* , Mira Mutschlechner1, Blaz Stres2,3,4, Paul Illmer1 and Andreas Otto Wagner1 Abstract Background: Lignin intermediates resulting from lignocellulose degradation have been suspected to hinder anaerobic mineralisation of organic materials to biogas. Phenyl acids like phenylacetate (PAA) are early detectable intermediates during anaerobic digestion (AD) of aromatic compounds. Studying the phenyl acid formation dynamics and concomitant microbial community shifts can help to understand the microbial interdependencies during AD of aromatic compounds and may be benefcial to counteract disturbances. Results: The length of the aliphatic side chain and chemical structure of the benzene side group(s) had an infuence on the methanogenic system. PAA, phenylpropionate (PPA), and phenylbutyrate (PBA) accumulations showed that the respective lignin intermediate was degraded but that there were metabolic restrictions as the phenyl acids were not efectively processed. Metagenomic analyses confrmed that mesophilic genera like Fastidiosipila or Syntropho- monas and thermophilic genera like Lactobacillus, Bacillus, Geobacillus, and Tissierella are associated with phenyl acid formation. Acetoclastic methanogenesis was prevalent in mesophilic samples at low and medium overload condi- tions, whereas Methanoculleus spp. dominated at high overload conditions when methane production was restricted. In medium carbon load reactors under thermophilic conditions, syntrophic acetate oxidation (SAO)-induced hydrog- enotrophic methanogenesis was the most important process despite the fact that acetoclastic methanogenesis would thermodynamically be more favourable. As acetoclastic methanogens were restricted at medium and high overload conditions, syntrophic acetate oxidising bacteria and their hydrogenotrophic partners could step in for acetate consumption. Conclusions: PAA, PPA, and PBA were early indicators for upcoming process failures. Acetoclastic methanogens were one of the frst microorganisms to be impaired by aromatic compounds, and shifts to syntrophic acetate oxidation coupled to hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis occurred in thermophilic reactors. Previously assumed associations of specifc meso- and thermophilic genera with anaerobic phenyl acid formation could be confrmed. Keywords: Bio-methane, Phenyl acids, Anaerobic digestion, Lignin intermediates, Amplicon sequencing Background Bio-methane is considered a valuable, carbon–neutral energy source, which is generated by gradual degradation of complex organic substrates under anaerobic conditions [1]. Te fact that methane as end product of anaerobic *Correspondence: [email protected] digestion (AD) can still be used for energy exploitation 1 Department of Microbiology, Universität Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25d, shows that degradation processes under anoxic condi- 6020 Innsbruck, Austria Full list of author information is available at the end of the article tions [2, 3] yield far less energy for the microorganisms © The Author(s) 2021. 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The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creat iveco mmons .org/publi cdoma in/ zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data. Prem et al. Biotechnol Biofuels (2021) 14:27 Page 2 of 23 than under aerobic conditions. As a consequence, a vari- Tepidanaerobacter spp., or Sporanaerobacter spp. were ety of anaerobic microorganisms depend on each other to shown to be important biomarkers for high phenyl acid overcome thermodynamic restrictions [4]. Tese micro- concentrations in batch reactors fed with aromatic amino bial interdependencies, especially the obligatory mutual- acids [21]. Whether these genera are directly or indirectly istic (syntrophic) co-operations, are still not sufciently associated with phenyl acid formation remains to be elu- understood despite their signifcance for maintaining cidated. Te thermodynamically difcult cleavage of the anaerobic systems [5]. Te (fnal) degradation step is benzene ring itself seemed to be more efcient at meso- mainly done by hydrogenotrophic (H2/CO2) or acetoclas- than at thermophilic temperatures—at least in batch tic (acetate) methanogens, which enable thermodynamic reactors [21]. However, the preceding study focused on efciency by removal of excess reducing equivalents. A the degradation of aromatic amino acids (deriving from low methanogenic activity can restrict upstream degra- proteinaceous materials); a closer look on the degrada- dation steps as metabolic intermediates accumulate and tion of lignin intermediates in terms of phenyl acid for- reactions become endergonic [5]. mation as well as microbial community dynamics is still Te use of locally collected, organic (waste) materials, missing. which are not potential food sources, is highly desirable In the present study, mesophilic as well as thermo- in terms of an efective, sustainable, and ethically accepta- philic microbial communities were fed with lignin ble energy management [6]. Over the last decades, chem- intermediates under diferent overload conditions to ical, physical, and biological pre-treatment strategies (i) initiate anaerobic phenyl acid formation during the empowered the use of rather recalcitrant or otherwise start-up phase of anaerobic lignin intermediate degrada- unsuitable organic wastes like lignocellulose or proteins tion, (ii) evaluate microbial community shifts during the for biogas formation [7]. However, these new techniques formation/degradation of phenyl acids, and (iii) link the also led to an increasing input of potentially problematic formation and/or degradation of PAA, PPA, and PBA to compounds [8] like hydrogen sulphide, anti-biotics [9], specifc taxa, metabolic pathways, and enzymes. or ammonium [10, 11]. Another underexplored group of potential inhibitors are (monocyclic) aromatic substances Results [12–14]. Despite their ubiquitous and abundant occur- Mesophilic reactors rence, the degradation of the nonpolar, six-carbon ring Methane production, VFA concentrations, and pH structures (benzenes) is considered challenging, espe- Cumulative methane production and acetate concentra- cially under anaerobic conditions [15]. Apart from some tions are depicted in Fig. 1. For further results regarding exceptions in the animal kingdom, prokaryotes and fungi volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations and pH values, are considered to be the only life forms capable of com- please refer to Additional fle 1: Table S1. With regard to pletely degrading benzene rings [16]. Hence, the accumu- the mesophilic controls, which produced up to 85 NmL lation of aromatic compounds is an ever-present threat in methane (approx. 80% of the theoretical methane produc- anoxic environments, especially under substrate overload tion) within 28 days, no signifcant diferences in biogas conditions [12, 17]. One group of monocyclic aromatic production could be observed when the lignin intermedi- compounds are phenyl acids that include phenylac- ates were added under low carbon load (LCL) conditions. etate (PAA), phenylpropionate (PPA), or phenylbutyrate Te highest cumulative (cum) methane production after (PBA). Studies on PPA [18] and especially on PBA [19] 28 days could be observed in syringic acid samples under are very rare, even though they represent relevant inter- medium carbon load (MCL) conditions and in gallic acid mediates in the AD cascade prior to the anaerobic ring MCL samples (130 ± 7.08 and 111 ± 3.40 NmL CH4 cum, cleavage. A cascade-like increase/decrease from PAA to respectively), followed by syringic acid LCL and gallic PPA to PBA could be observed when straw from grain acid LCL samples (98.1 ± 4.38 and 95.6 ± 6.41 NmL CH4 was anaerobically degraded under overload conditions. cum, respectively). Within the MCL samples, signifcant It was concluded that an increase in PAA concentration diferences in methane production could be observed was an early indicator for overload conditions, whereas for diferent lignin intermediates: Coumaric acid MCL an increase in PBA concentration indicated a switch from samples produced signifcantly less methane (15.2 ± 3.10 using easier degradable substrates to more recalcitrant NmL CH4) than syringic acid samples within 28 days. (lignocellulosic) materials [19]. Hardly any methane was formed in samples under high Previous studies also indicated that fermenting bac- carbon load (HCL) conditions, irrespective of the added teria in general