Revealing microbial functionalities and ecological roles in Rajpardi lignite mine: insights from metagenomics analysis.

This article focuses on a metagenomic analysis of microbial communities in the Rajpardi lignite mine in Gujarat, India, revealing their taxonomic diversity, functional potential, and environmental adaptations. Using whole genome shotgun sequencing and the SqueezeMeta pipeline, the study identified a diverse bacterial community dominated by Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Nitrospirae, with key roles in carbohydrate, amino acid, and energy metabolism. The presence of antimicrobial resistance genes (e.g., blaTEM) and metal resistance genes (e.g., merA) indicates microbial adaptation to the mine's acidic and metal-contaminated environment. Metagenome-assembled genomes of Acidiphilum sp. and Fluoribacter dumoii further highlight metabolic versatility relevant to bioremediation and ecosystem restoration. These findings contribute to understanding microbial ecology in lignite mines and suggest potential applications in pollution control and sustainable mining practices.