Bioenergy production from waste: metagenomics and metatranscriptomics analyses of full scale anaerobic digesters

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a sustainable method for producing bioenergy from organic waste, reducing reliance on non-renewable energy sources. However, a comprehensive understanding of full scale AD processes is essential for optimizing biogas production. This dissertation conducts a comparative study of two sludge digesters, one employing co-digestion (Cávado-Homem) and the other a single feedstock (Vila Real), to investigate microbial communities and metabolic activities driving bioenergy production. Metagenomics and metatranscriptomics analyses with bioinformatics tools (MOSCA and HUMAnN) were used to unveil complex microbial community dynamics and gene expression profiles.

Key findings show that the most active species in the digester without co-digestion included Methanospir- illum sp., Methanothrix sp., Methanothrix soehgenii, Methanosaeta sp., Fervidobacterium sp., and Tre- ponema sp., while the digester with co-digestion had a distinct microbial composition, primarily featuring Methanoculleus sp., Methanobacterium sp. and Methanospirillum hungatei JF-1, in addition to the Bacte- ria and Archaea species found in the other digester, who were also present in this one but with reduced activity levels. Syntrophomonas sp was found in both digesters with roughly the same activity level.
The future work section outlines directions for biogas production research, including microbial com- munity engineering, metagenomic database development, and anaerobic digestion-focused bioinformatics tools, highlighting the importance of fostering a vibrant research community dedicated to advancing AD, waste treatment, and renewable energy generation.

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