Elucidating Salinity Stress and Engineered Solutions on Trichloroethene Bioremediation using a Consortium containing Dehalococcoides mccartyi

Using a defined trichloroethene-dechlorinating consortium comprising Dehalococcoides mccartyi strain 195 (Dhc195), Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough (DvH), and Pelosinus fermentans R7 (PfR7), we show that functional resilience under salinity is governed by syntrophic dependencies rather than the tolerance of keystone organisms alone.

Under chronic salinity, dechlorination became incomplete above 16 g/L NaCl despite stable Dhc195 and DvH, reflecting impaired vitamin B12 supply by PfR7. Co-amendment with glycine betaine and vitamin B12 sustained function under chronic moderate salinity up to ~18 g/L NaCl, but not during acute salinity upsurge greater than 21 g/L NaCl. Axenic cultures showed uncoupling of Dhc195 growth and dechlorination at high salinity, while transcriptomic analyses indicated a shift toward survival-oriented, amino acid–based adaptation during acute stress.