Scholarlink

Background <p>Terrestrial hot springs are extreme environments shaped by geothermal heat, geogenic gases and extremes of pH and temperatures. Their gas fluxes, which include CO<sub>2</sub>, CO, H<sub>2</sub>S and SO<sub>2</sub>, mirror the chemical composition of CO<sub>2</sub>-rich waste streams. Microbial communities inhabiting these environments are typically thermotolerant or thermophilic and sustained by CO<sub>2</sub> fixation and chemolithotrophic metabolism. Such communities may therefore provide a natural starting point for developing <i>ex-situ</i>, consortium-based biotechnologies capable of operating under elevated temperatures and chemically harsh conditions. Here, we assess the metabolic capabilities of hot spring microbiomes systematically through a biotechnological lens.</p> Results <p>We conducted comparative analysis of 73 worldwide hot spring metagenomes, spanning a wide range of environmental conditions (pH 1.5–10.0, temperatures 25–98&#xa0;°C). By taking a gene-centric approach to whole communities, we show that hot spring microbiomes ubiquitously encoded carbon fixation pathways and biosynthetic genes (and gene clusters) for the synthesis of value-added products, regardless of geographical location and pH-temperature conditions. Candidate value-added products include platform chemicals such as acetone, lactic acid, and 1,2-propanediol, as well as high-value biomolecules including B vitamins and alginate.</p> Conclusions <p>This first biotechnology-focused assessment of hot spring microbiomes demonstrates that these communities encode the genomic potential to support novel, <i>ex situ</i> microbial platforms for upgrading CO<sub>2</sub> and transforming chemically complex gas mixtures.</p> Significance <p>Industrial CO<sub>2</sub> waste streams pose both an environmental challenge and an unutilised resource. Harnessing microbial consortia to valorise CO<sub>2</sub>, through a circular bioeconomy, remains underexplored and could offer an alternative to energy-intensive chemical methods. By reanalysing predominantly publicly available metagenomic data, we demonstrate how hot spring microbiomes can be mined for traits pre-adapted to CO<sub>2</sub>-rich, high-temperature, and chemically extreme conditions. In doing so, we provide proof-of-concept for their future biotechnological application and establish a blueprint for other microbiome-scale bioprospecting surveys.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Exploring the biotechnological potential of terrestrial hot spring microbiomes for CO2 utilisation

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月11日

查看全文
  • Christopher E. Stead,
  • Leanne Walker,
  • Carla Greco,
  • Toni Galloway,
  • Claire R Cousins,
  • Franziska Nagel,
  • Rainer Breitling,
  • Eriko Takano,
  • Snaedís Huld Björnsdóttir,
  • Sophie L Nixon

摘要

Background

Terrestrial hot springs are extreme environments shaped by geothermal heat, geogenic gases and extremes of pH and temperatures. Their gas fluxes, which include CO2, CO, H2S and SO2, mirror the chemical composition of CO2-rich waste streams. Microbial communities inhabiting these environments are typically thermotolerant or thermophilic and sustained by CO2 fixation and chemolithotrophic metabolism. Such communities may therefore provide a natural starting point for developing ex-situ, consortium-based biotechnologies capable of operating under elevated temperatures and chemically harsh conditions. Here, we assess the metabolic capabilities of hot spring microbiomes systematically through a biotechnological lens.

Results

We conducted comparative analysis of 73 worldwide hot spring metagenomes, spanning a wide range of environmental conditions (pH 1.5–10.0, temperatures 25–98 °C). By taking a gene-centric approach to whole communities, we show that hot spring microbiomes ubiquitously encoded carbon fixation pathways and biosynthetic genes (and gene clusters) for the synthesis of value-added products, regardless of geographical location and pH-temperature conditions. Candidate value-added products include platform chemicals such as acetone, lactic acid, and 1,2-propanediol, as well as high-value biomolecules including B vitamins and alginate.

Conclusions

This first biotechnology-focused assessment of hot spring microbiomes demonstrates that these communities encode the genomic potential to support novel, ex situ microbial platforms for upgrading CO2 and transforming chemically complex gas mixtures.

Significance

Industrial CO2 waste streams pose both an environmental challenge and an unutilised resource. Harnessing microbial consortia to valorise CO2, through a circular bioeconomy, remains underexplored and could offer an alternative to energy-intensive chemical methods. By reanalysing predominantly publicly available metagenomic data, we demonstrate how hot spring microbiomes can be mined for traits pre-adapted to CO2-rich, high-temperature, and chemically extreme conditions. In doing so, we provide proof-of-concept for their future biotechnological application and establish a blueprint for other microbiome-scale bioprospecting surveys.