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Background <p>Wide distribution of polyvinyl chloride microplastics (PVC-MPs) has been documented in remote regions such as the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). Microbial degradation of plastics is frequently coupled with lignocellulose-degrading enzymatic machinery. As a ubiquitous biological sampler on the QTP, the herbivore plateau pika (<i>Ochotona curzoniae</i>), which harbors diverse lignocellulose-degrading enzymes, represents a promising reservoir for novel PVC-degrading enzymes.</p> Results <p>In this study, a PVC-MPs feeding trial of plateau pikas revealed gut microbiota recruitment of plastic degraders. Subsequent enrichment experiment yielded a PVC-degrading consortium that depolymerized PVC into long-chain alkanes, with <i>Rhodococcus and Leifsonia</i> identified as PVC-response specialist and generalist, respectively. Multi-omics analysis supported a putative degradation pathway initiated by haloalkane dehalogenase (HLD) and involving oxidases. Furthermore, novel <i>Rh</i>HLD (from <i>Rhodococcus</i> MAG) released 11.5&#xa0;mg L<sup>−1</sup> chloride ions from PVC films, whereas dye-decolorizing peroxidase <i>Le</i>DyP from <i>Leifsonia</i> MAG generated PVC-degrading intermediates. Analysis of 39 metagenomic datasets further confirmed that haloalkane dehalogenase and dye-decolorizing peroxidase are prevalent in the gut of wild pikas.</p> Conclusions <p>This study elucidates the PVC-degrading potential of herbivore gut microbiota and expands the catalytic toolkit for plastic bioremediation, underscoring the bioprospecting potential in extreme ecosystems</p> <p><MediaObject ID="MOESM2"><VideoObject FileRef="MediaObjects/40168_2026_2478_MOESM2_ESM.mp4" VideoID="B7eKdbVu1tzq1BSKEjZBj5"><Caption Language="En" xml:lang="en"><CaptionContent><p>Video Abstract</p></CaptionContent></Caption></VideoObject></MediaObject></p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>

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Untapped enzymatic potential: dehalogenase- and peroxidase-driven PVC degradation by gene carriers in Tibetan plateau pikas

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月29日

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  • Chunxiu Zhou,
  • Baotong Fu,
  • Xiaoxiao Hou,
  • Wei-Min Wu,
  • Aman Khan,
  • Chunjie Li,
  • Huawen Han,
  • Xiangkai Li

摘要

Background

Wide distribution of polyvinyl chloride microplastics (PVC-MPs) has been documented in remote regions such as the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). Microbial degradation of plastics is frequently coupled with lignocellulose-degrading enzymatic machinery. As a ubiquitous biological sampler on the QTP, the herbivore plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae), which harbors diverse lignocellulose-degrading enzymes, represents a promising reservoir for novel PVC-degrading enzymes.

Results

In this study, a PVC-MPs feeding trial of plateau pikas revealed gut microbiota recruitment of plastic degraders. Subsequent enrichment experiment yielded a PVC-degrading consortium that depolymerized PVC into long-chain alkanes, with Rhodococcus and Leifsonia identified as PVC-response specialist and generalist, respectively. Multi-omics analysis supported a putative degradation pathway initiated by haloalkane dehalogenase (HLD) and involving oxidases. Furthermore, novel RhHLD (from Rhodococcus MAG) released 11.5 mg L−1 chloride ions from PVC films, whereas dye-decolorizing peroxidase LeDyP from Leifsonia MAG generated PVC-degrading intermediates. Analysis of 39 metagenomic datasets further confirmed that haloalkane dehalogenase and dye-decolorizing peroxidase are prevalent in the gut of wild pikas.

Conclusions

This study elucidates the PVC-degrading potential of herbivore gut microbiota and expands the catalytic toolkit for plastic bioremediation, underscoring the bioprospecting potential in extreme ecosystems

Video Abstract

Graphical Abstract