Genes for Vitamin B Synthesis and Their Distribution in Microbial Producers

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

B vitamins (VBs) are essential micronutrients, yet their microbial production across natural habitats remains poorly understood. We analyzed 126,931 metagenome-assembled genomes to map the distribution of VB producers and constructed a database of 87 VB synthesis genes, identifying VB-independent producers and their environmental drivers. Soil and freshwater habitats harbored the greatest diversity of VB 1, VB 2, VB 7, VB 9, and VB 12 producers, whereas marine systems contained fewer. Biosynthetic capacity was rare for VB 5 and was limited for VB 3 and VB 6 . Gammaproteobacteria are prolific producers, synthesizing up to eight VB types. Soil sulfur content and conductivity significantly enhanced VB production potential, linking beneficial microbes to improved soil health. We further validated VB 3 and VB 7 synthesis in Acinetobacter kookii, supporting our predictive framework. Because the identified producers include both beneficial and pathogenic taxa, careful evaluation is required. This work provides a robust gene database and a foundation for optimizing microbial VB production in agriculture and biotechnology.