Comparative Metagenomics Provide Mechanistic Insights into the Biodegradation of the Non-hydrolysable Plastic Polyvinyl Chloride in Gut Microbiota of Insect Larvae

Abstract

Using microbiomes to mitigate global plastic pollution is of paramount importance. Insect microbiomes have garnered emerging interest for their ability to biodegrade non-hydrolysable plastic polymers. The larvae of Spodoptera frugiperda, a globally prevalent migratory crop pest, are accidentally discovered to consume polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic films, highlighting the role of their gut microbiome. Following the migration of S. frugiperd in China, this study displays a comprehensive geographical profile of its larval gut microbiota and a significant shift after PVC feeding. Using comparative metagenomics we revealed the functional redundancy within the larval gut microbiomes of two distinct insects after PVC ingestion, we discovered a surprisingly potent PVC-dechlorinating activity of an NADH peroxidase (6.48 mg/L chlorine produced in 96 hours with NADH as a cofactor) encoded by Enterococcus casseliflavus EMBL-3. These findings open a new avenue for understanding plastic biodegradation mechanism and enable the development of biotechnologies to mitigate global plastic pollution.