Integrative Omics Analysis of Plant-Microbe Synergies in Petroleum Pollution Remediation

As the petrochemical industry continues to advance, the exacerbation of ecological imbalance and environmental degradation due to petroleum pollution is increasingly pronounced. The synergistic interaction between plants and microorganisms are pivotal in the degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons; however, the underlying degradation mechanisms are not yet fully understood. In this study, we employed a multi-omics approach, integrating transcriptomics, 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metabolomics, to analyze key differential genes, dominant microbial strains and root-secreted metabolites involved in petroleum hydrocarbon degradation in alfalfa. The results show that several stress-related genes are upregulated in alfalfa contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbon. Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus and Brevundimonas remain dominant species in the rhizosphere microbiome. Additionally, when applying pantothenic acid, malic acid and citric acid selected from metabolomics to the oil sediment used for growing alfalfa, the degradation rates significantly improved, with pantothenic acid application resulting in approximately a 10% higher degradation rate compared to other treatments. Our findings offer essential insights for optimizing phytoremediation strategies and improving the efficiency of soil decontamination