Double Bacteria Synergistic Catalytic Reduction System for Heavy Metal Detoxification Treatment

Abstract

Synthetic biology has promoted the development of microbial therapy, but the scope of applicable microbial species is limited and transgenic microorganisms also display safety risks for in vivo applications. Interestingly, symbiotic microorganisms in nature can achieve functional updates by metabolic cooperation. Here, we report on a nongenetic method for engineering microorganisms to construct a heavy metal ion reduction system, which was prepared by linking Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 (SO) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG). SO could reduce metal ions but is limited by finite substrates in vivo. LGG could metabolize glucose to lactate as a substrate for SO, promoting extracellular electron transfer by SO and heavy metal ion reduction. Meanwhile, SO could generate electron donor cytochrome C to promote metabolism of LGG, forming metabolic synergy and circulation between these two bacteria. The SO-LGG system shows splendid ability to remove heavy metal ions and inflammatory modulation in acute or chronic heavy metal poisoning.

Keywords: Bacteria; detoxification; heavy metal; immune regulation; metabolic synergy.