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Biofilm-Forming Enterobacter sp. W5 Mitigates Cadmium and Polystyrene Microplastic Stress in Wheat via Synergistic Immobilization and Proteomic Reprogramming
Summary
Scientists found a soil bacterium that can trap toxic cadmium (a harmful heavy metal) even when it's mixed with microplastic pollution in farm soil—a combo increasingly common in agricultural fields. When added to wheat plants, this bacterium cut cadmium buildup by up to 34% in the parts we actually eat, by locking the metal away in root cell walls before it could spread. This suggests a promising, low-cost way to grow safer crops in polluted soil, though more research is needed before it's used on real farms.
Cadmium (Cd) and polystyrene (PS) microplastic co-contamination in agricultural soils poses a potential threat to food security. Some functional microorganisms in soil can alleviate the dual stress of Cd and PS on crops. In this study, a biofilm-forming bacterium, Enterobacter sp. W5, was isolated from heavy metal-contaminated rhizosphere soil. Strain W5 exhibited Cd removal efficiency (46.3%) and strong biofilm-forming capacity (OD570 = 5.05), and it effectively colonized PS microplastic surfaces. XPS analysis detected bacterial functional groups (C–O–C, C=O) and PS-associated signals (O–C=O), which may act synergistically in Cd2+ adsorption. Furthermore, XPS and XRD analyses revealed the presence of Cd-containing precipitates (including CdS, CdO, and Cd3(PO4)2). In hydroponic wheat experiments, W5 inoculation alleviated Cd-PS combined stress, thus significantly promoting plant growth and reducing Cd accumulation by 22.6% in roots and by 34.2% in aboveground tissues. Subcellular distribution analysis revealed that W5 enhanced Cd retention in root cell walls, thereby limiting its translocation to active cellular compartments. Proteomic analysis identified a set of 11 consistently downregulated proteins, including A0A3B6HQ68 and A0A3B6KJV9, which were enriched in secondary metabolite biosynthesis pathways. Bioinformatic analysis suggests that these proteins may be associated with Cd stress responses, though their exact roles remain to be verified. Collectively, this study provides a valuable microbial resource and mechanistic insights into the application of biofilm-forming bacteria for mitigating combined heavy metal–microplastic pollution in agricultural systems.