Zobellella denitrificans explained

Zobellella denitrificans is a gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, heterotrophic and denitrifying bacterium from the genus of Zobellella which has been isolated from sediments from a mangrove ecosystems from Miaoli County in Taiwan.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Recent research on Z. denitrificans ZD1 has highlighted its versatile applications in biotechnology and aquaculture. This salt-tolerant strain can produce high poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), a biodegradable biopolymer, from various organic waste sources, including synthetic crude glycerol, saline wastewater, and municipal wastewater.^[4] It can also grow on other agro-industrial wastewaters to produce PHB, including sugary waste slurry, cheese whey wastewater, food waste fermentation liquid, and fishmeal wastewater.^[5] This non-sterile PHB production process offers a low-cost strategy for recycling organic waste into valuable bioplastics, reducing reliance on petrochemical-based plastics.

Furthermore, Z. denitrificans ZD1 shows potential as a multifunctional feed ingredient for aquaculture.^[6] When utilized as single-cell protein (SCP) rich in PHB, ZD1 can enhance the growth, immune response, and gut microbiome health of various aquatic species.^[7] PHB and its intermediates exhibit antimicrobial properties against common aquaculture pathogens, providing an alternative to traditional antibiotics.^{[8] [9] [10]} This dual capability of Z. denitrificans ZD1 to produce bioplastics and serve as a sustainable feed ingredient supports its promising role in addressing environmental challenges in aquaculture.

References

1. Parker CT, Garrity GM . Charles Thomas . George M. . Parker . Garrity . Zobellella denitrificans . Taxonomic Abstract for the species. . 1 August 2008 . 10.1601/tx.10101 . NamesforLife, LLC . en.
2. Lin YT, Shieh WY . Zobellella denitrificans gen. nov., sp. nov. and Zobellella taiwanensis sp. nov., denitrifying bacteria capable of fermentative metabolism . International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology . 56 . Pt 6 . 1209–1215 . June 2006 . 16738093 . 10.1099/ijs.0.64121-0 . free .
3. Zobellella denitrificans . DSM-19707 . Leibniz Institute DSMZ (Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen) - German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GMBH .
4. Asiri F, Chen CH, Hwangbo M, Shao Y, Chu KH . From Organic Wastes to Bioplastics: Feasibility of Nonsterile Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) Production by Zobellella denitrificans ZD1 . ACS Omega . 5 . 38 . 24158–24168 . September 2020 . 33015431 . 7528165 . 10.1021/acsomega.9b04002 .
5. Asiri F, Chu KH . Valorization of agro-industrial wastes into polyhydroxyalkanoates-rich single-cell proteins to enable a circular waste-to-feed economy . Chemosphere . 309 . Pt 1 . 136660 . December 2022 . 36191769 . 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136660 . 2022Chmsp.30936660A .
6. Asiri F, Kim J, Chu KH . 2022-12-15 . Chitosan-harvested polyhydroxybutyrate-rich Zobellella denitrificans ZD1 as a multifunction feed for aquaculture . Aquaculture . 561 . 738655 . 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2022.738655 . 2022Aquac.56138655A . 0044-8486.
7. Suehs BA, Yamamoto FY, Older CE, Asiri F, Gatlin III DM . 2025-01-15 . Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate supplementation enhanced the growth and immune responses of juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) . Aquaculture . 594 . 741384 . 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2024.741384 . 2025Aquac.59441384S . 0044-8486.
8. El Abbadi SH, Criddle CS . Engineering the Dark Food Chain . Environmental Science & Technology . 53 . 5 . 2273–2287 . March 2019 . 30640466 . 10.1021/acs.est.8b04038 . 2019EnST...53.2273E .
9. Book: Laranja JL, Bossier P . Poly-Beta-Hydroxybutyrate (PHB) and Infection Reduction in Farmed Aquatic Animals . 2020 . Goldfine H . Health Consequences of Microbial Interactions with Hydrocarbons, Oils, and Lipids . 457–482 . https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-030-15147-8_35 . 2024-08-25 . Cham . Springer International Publishing . en . 10.1007/978-3-030-15147-8_35 . 978-3-030-15147-8 .
10. Asiri F . Polyhydroxyalkanoates for Sustainable Aquaculture: A Review of Recent Advancements, Challenges, and Future Directions . Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry . 72 . 4 . 2034–2058 . January 2024 . 38227436 . 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c06488 .