Natural formation of copper sulfide nanoparticles via microbially mediated organic sulfur mineralization in soil: Processes and mechanisms

•A novel copper sulfide nanoparticles formation pathway via cysteine mineralization was found.•sseA gene played a dominant role in production of sulfide from cysteine.•The cysteine mineralizing microbes were abundant and taxonomically diverse.•Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Thaumarchaeota were the major cysteine utilizers.