Chemoautotroph Cupriavidus necator as a potential game-changer for global warming and plastic
waste problem: A review
Cupriavidus necator is a highly adaptable microorganism capable of both heterotrophic and
lithoautotrophic metabolisms, depending on environmental conditions. It has garnered attention
for its capacity to produce Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), biodegradable substitutes for
petroleum-based plastics, by utilizing renewable resources. Advances in metabolic engineering
of C. necator strains have enabled the production of biopolymers, biofuels, and chemicals like
ethanol and higher alcohols from waste materials such as biomass, plastic, and gases.
Thanks to its flexibility in utilizing diverse substrates, including sugars, aromatic compounds,
and plastic fragments, C. necator is emerging as a promising tool for waste valorization. Its
ability to process waste resources like greenhouse gases and plastic debris positions it as a key
player in efforts to achieve carbon neutrality and tackle plastic pollution. The organism’s
metabolic versatility and genetic engineering potential make it a powerful platform for driving
sustainable, environmentally friendly production.
Incorporating C. necator into waste-to-product bioconversion models aligns with the principles
of a circular bioeconomy, providing valuable solutions to pressing global issues like climate
change and waste management, and offering a pathway toward a more sustainable economy.
Efficiency of Pseudomonas putida in bioremediation of chlorpyrifos toxicity
Chlorpyrifos is a commonly used organophosphate insecticide with neurotoxic effects on insects,
animals, and humans by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase, causing an accumulation of
acetylcholine. While effective in pest control, chlorpyrifos poses considerable environmental
hazards due to its persistence in soil and water, leading to contamination and health risks.
Research has shown that certain bacteria, such as strains of Pseudomonas putida, can degrade
chlorpyrifos by using it as a carbon source. This bioremediation process breaks down the
pesticide into non-toxic byproducts, providing a sustainable approach to reducing pesticide
pollution.
In this study, three distinct chlorpyrifos-degrading strains of Pseudomonas putida were
identified, with strain PB1 demonstrating the highest degradation efficiency. PB1 was able to
significantly lower chlorpyrifos levels in sterilized media, highlighting its potential for large-
scale bioremediation. Additionally, other bacterial species, including Bacillus and Klebsiella,
also exhibited the ability to degrade chlorpyrifos in both liquid and soil environments.
Bioremediation using these bacterial strains presents a viable alternative to traditional chemical
and physical methods, which are often inefficient, costly, and environmentally damaging. Future
studies aim to enhance these bioremediation techniques and evaluate their effectiveness in real-
world conditions for remediating pesticide-contaminated sites.
Streptomyces: The biofactory of secondary metabolites
Natural products from microorganisms, especially Streptomyces, are vital sources of
pharmaceuticals and therapeutic agents. Streptomyces, a diverse genus of spore-forming,
filamentous, and Gram-positive bacteria from the Actinobacteria phylum, is renowned for
producing a wide range of bioactive compounds with uses in medicine, agriculture, food
industries, and environmental management. Despite over 850 species being studied, many
natural products from Streptomyces remain untapped.
With the rapid rise of antibiotic resistance and the decline in the discovery of new antimicrobials
since the "golden age" (1940s-1960s), there is an urgent need for novel antibiotics, anticancer
agents, agrochemicals, and other therapeutics. Streptomyces is a promising source of these
bioactive compounds, though rediscovering already known antibiotics remains a challenge. To
address this, multidisciplinary strategies, including genomics-driven drug discovery, are crucial
for unveiling hidden biosynthetic pathways.
Breakthroughs in genomics, synthetic biology, bioinformatics, and metabolomics (using tools
like mass spectrometry and NMR) are facilitating the discovery of new bioactive compounds
from Streptomyces. Coupled with artificial intelligence, these advancements hold great potential
for enhancing the biosynthetic capabilities of Streptomyces to combat drug-resistant diseases and
tackle other global health challenges.
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