2026-10-07T06:58:47Z https://www.scidb.cn/oai

10.57760/sciencedb.24393 2026-09-28T11:24:58Z

2026-09-28 Dataset for "Single-Cell Raman-Guided Identification and Recovery of Active Microplastic-Transforming Bacteria from Complex Microbiota" doi:10.57760/sciencedb.24393 en Microbial biotransformation presents a sustainable strategy for mitigating global microplastics (MPs) pollution but is fundamentally constrained by the difficulty to directly identify and recover functionally active MPs-transforming microorganisms from complex microbial communities. Here, we established a function-driven, single-cell Raman spectroscopic framework that integrated deuterium-based metabolic profiling, Raman-activated cell sorting (RACS), targeted sequencing, and cultivation. To circumvent the high cost and technical hurdles of using isotope-labeled plastics to simulate multiple types of MPs in environment, a universal deuterium-tracing strategy that reliably identifies MP-responsive cells based on their metabolic activity under plastic-dependent conditions was developed, directly linking phenotype to genotype and enabling isolate recovery. Applying this platform to the gut microbiota of plastic-fed mealworms, we discovered previously unrecognized polystyrene (PS)- biotransforming bacteria and associated candidate enzymes through RACS and targeted metagenomic analysis, with several of these enzymes being functionally validated via heterologous prokaryotic expression. By integrating enzymatic functions with detected conversion products, and physiochemical changes, a detailed three-stage PS biotransformation pathway was delineated, enhancing mechanistic understanding of gut microbiota-mediated PS conversion. Importantly, Raman-activated live-cell sorting successfully recovered rare yet metabolically active PS-biotransforming bacteria that were not readily obtained by conventional cultivation methods. This scalable phenotype-to-isolate single-cell framework represents a substantial advancement in harnessing microbial solutions for tackling the global microplastic pollution. Microplastics; Single-cell Raman Spectroscopy; Single-cell sorting; Gut microbiome; Polystyrene; biotransformation Hong-Qin Guo Kai Yang Xin-Yu Xing Yu-Nan Yang Long-Ji Zhu Xiao-Xi Kang Feng Ju Rong Ji Philippe Francois-Xavier Corvini Li Cui EMBARGO https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ dataset Science Data Bank