RESUMO
Forty-three strains of obligately chemolithoautotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria were isolated from highly alkaline soda lakes in south-east Siberia (Russia) and in Kenya using a specific enrichment procedure at pH 10. The main difference between the novel isolates and known sulfur bacteria was their potential to grow and oxidize sulfur compounds at pH 10 and higher. The isolates fell into two groups that were substantially different from each other physiologically and genetically. Most of the Siberian isolates belonged to the group with a low DNA G+C content (48.0-51.2 mol%). They were characterized by a high growth rate, a low growth yield, a high cytochrome content, and high rates of oxidation of sulfide and thiosulfate. This group included 18 isolates with a DNA homology of more than 40%, and it is described here as a new genus, Thioalkalimicrobium, with two species Thioalkalimicrobium aerophilum (type species) and Thioalkalimicrobium sibericum. The other isolates, mainly from Kenyan soda lakes, fell into a group with a high DNA G+C content (61.0-65.6 mol%). In general, this group was characterized by a low growth rate, a high molar growth yield and low, but relatively equal, rates of oxidation of thiosulfate, sulfide, elemental sulfur and polythionates. The group included 25 isolates with a DNA homology of more than 30%. It was less compact than Thioalkalimicrobium, containing haloalkalophilic, carotenoid-producing, nitrate-reducing and facultatively anaerobic denitrifying strains. These bacteria are proposed to be assigned to a new genus, Thioalkalivibrio, with three species Thioalkalivibrio versutus (type species), Thioalkalivibrio denitrificans and Thioalkalivibrio nitratis. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that both groups belong to the gamma-Proteobacteria. The Thioalkalimicrobium species were closely affiliated with the neutrophilic chemolithoautotrophic sulfur bacteria of the genus Thiomicrospira, forming a new alkaliphilic lineage in this cluster. In contrast, Thioalkalivibrio was not related to any known chemolithoautotrophic taxa, but was distantly associated with anaerobic purple sulfur bacteria of the genus Ectothiorhodospira.
Assuntos
Álcalis , Gammaproteobacteria/classificação , Gammaproteobacteria/metabolismo , Enxofre/metabolismo , Microbiologia da Água , Técnicas de Tipagem Bacteriana , Composição de Bases , Análise por Conglomerados , Citocromos/análise , DNA Ribossômico/genética , Gammaproteobacteria/genética , Gammaproteobacteria/isolamento & purificação , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Hibridização de Ácido Nucleico , Oxirredução , RNA Ribossômico 16S/genética , Homologia de Sequência do Ácido Nucleico , Terminologia como AssuntoRESUMO
Extracts of the alkaliphilic sulfur-oxidizing autotroph strain AL3 contained sulfide:cytochrome c oxidoreductase. This was active above pH 8, and was associated with the cell membranes. Although up to 60% of the initial activity was lost during Triton X-100 extraction, further purification resulted in an enzyme that catalyzed sulfide oxidation with horse heart cytochrome c. This enzyme was a 41 kDa protein containing heme c554. The optimum pH of the membrane bound enzyme was 9.0, but after extraction this fell to 8.0. The enzyme catalyzed a single electron oxidation of HS-. Hydrosulfide radical is therefore the most probable product.
Assuntos
Grupo dos Citocromos c/isolamento & purificação , Oxirredutases/isolamento & purificação , Thiobacillus/enzimologia , Oxirredução , Sulfetos/metabolismo , Thiobacillus/metabolismo , Tiossulfatos/metabolismoRESUMO
An antiserum raised against whole cells of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans was allowed to react with a variety of acidophilic and nonacidophilic bacteria in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and an indirect immunofluorescence assay. Both experiments demonstrated that the antiserum was specific at the species level. This preparation was used to evaluate the role of T. ferrooxidans in the microbial desulfurization process. Leaching experiments were performed, and the numbers of T. ferrooxidans cells and other bacteria were estimated by using a combined immunofluorescence-DNA-fluorescence staining technique that was adapted for this purpose. Nonsterile coal samples inoculated with T. ferrooxidans yielded high concentrations of soluble iron after 16 days. After this period, however, T. ferrooxidans cells could no longer be detected by the immunofluorescence assay, whereas the DNA-fluorescence staining procedure demonstrated a large number of microorganisms on the coal particles. These results indicate that T. ferrooxidans is removed by competition with different acidophilic microorganisms that were originally present on the coal.
