Abstract: Water pollution is one of the most serious environment problems that affect people′s life quality and sustainable economic development worldwide. The degradation capability of microorganisms endows them advantages in environmental pollutants elimination and water environments repairment, with the utilization of diverse bioremediation technologies. However, due to the complex situation of water pollution environment, traditional microbiological treatment methodology is restricted and limited. With the engineering principle Design-Build-Test-Learn in synthetic biology, the designed and modified synthetic microorganisms with efficient and broad-spectrum degradation ability for pollutants has attracted the researchers′ attention. The synthetic microorganisms could not only meet the wastewater treatment requirements within complex pollutants, but also could achieve the green, efficient circular treatment goal. Therefore, design and construction of synthetic microorganisms for water pollution control has becoming one of the future development and application direction of synthetic biology. Herein, we introduced the current situation of water pollution, the treatment technologies classically utilized, and the synthetic microorganisms′ application in water pollution control. This review focuses on different types of microbial chassis in synthetic biology and the merits of application of synthetic microorganisms in water pollution control. This review will facilitate the performance optimization of pollutant degradation and wastewater treatment via synthetic biology and provide reference for the efficient treatment of wastewater environment.
Key words: synthetic microorganisms; microbial chassis; water pollution; bioremediation technology; environmental governance
（Acta Laser Biology Sinica, 2024, 33(5): 418-431）