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Gouveia AG, Salgueiro BA, Ranmar DO, Antunes WDT, Kirchweger P, Golani O, Wolf SG, Elbaum M, Matias PM, Romão CV. Unraveling the multifaceted resilience of arsenic resistant bacterium Deinococcus indicus. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1240798. [PMID: 37692390 PMCID: PMC10483234 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1240798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Arsenic (As) is a toxic heavy metal widely found in the environment that severely undermines the integrity of water resources. Bioremediation of toxic compounds is an appellative sustainable technology with a balanced cost-effective setup. To pave the way for the potential use of Deinococcus indicus, an arsenic resistant bacterium, as a platform for arsenic bioremediation, an extensive characterization of its resistance to cellular insults is paramount. A comparative analysis of D. indicus cells grown in two rich nutrient media conditions (M53 and TGY) revealed distinct resistance patterns when cells are subjected to stress via UV-C and methyl viologen (MV). Cells grown in M53 demonstrated higher resistance to both UV-C and MV. Moreover, cells grow to higher density upon exposure to 25 mM As(V) in M53 in comparison with TGY. This analysis is pivotal for the culture of microbial species in batch culture bioreactors for bioremediation purposes. We also demonstrate for the first time the presence of polyphosphate granules in D. indicus which are also found in a few Deinococcus species. To extend our analysis, we also characterized DiArsC2 (arsenate reductase) involved in arsenic detoxification and structurally determined different states, revealing the structural evidence for a catalytic cysteine triple redox system. These results contribute for our understanding into the D. indicus resistance mechanism against stress conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- André G. Gouveia
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier (ITQB NOVA), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Bruno A. Salgueiro
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier (ITQB NOVA), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Dean O. Ranmar
- Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Wilson D. T. Antunes
- Instituto Universitário Militar, Centro de Investigação da Academia Militar (CINAMIL), Unidade Militar Laboratorial de Defesa Biológica e Química (UMLDBQ), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Peter Kirchweger
- Department of Chemical and Biological Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ofra Golani
- Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Sharon G. Wolf
- Department of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Michael Elbaum
- Department of Chemical and Biological Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Pedro M. Matias
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier (ITQB NOVA), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica (iBET), Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Célia V. Romão
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier (ITQB NOVA), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
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2
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Morgavi DP, Cantalapiedra-Hijar G, Eugène M, Martin C, Noziere P, Popova M, Ortigues-Marty I, Muñoz-Tamayo R, Ungerfeld EM. Review: Reducing enteric methane emissions improves energy metabolism in livestock: is the tenet right? Animal 2023; 17 Suppl 3:100830. [PMID: 37263815 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.100830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The production of enteric methane in the gastrointestinal tract of livestock is considered as an energy loss in the equations for estimating energy metabolism in feeding systems. Therefore, the spared energy resulting from specific inhibition of methane emissions should be re-equilibrated with other factors of the equation. And, it is commonly assumed that net energy from feeds increases, thus benefitting production functions, particularly in ruminants due to the important production of methane in the rumen. Notwithstanding, we confirm in this work that inhibition of emissions in ruminants does not transpose into consistent improvements in production. Theoretical calculations of energy flows using experimental data show that the expected improvement in net energy for production is small and difficult to detect under the prevailing, moderate inhibition of methane production (≈25%) obtained using feed additives inhibiting methanogenesis. Importantly, the calculation of energy partitioning using canonical models might not be adequate when methanogenesis is inhibited. There is a lack of information on various parameters that play a role in energy partitioning and that may be affected under provoked abatement of methane. The formula used to calculate heat production based on respiratory exchanges should be validated when methanogenesis is inhibited. Also, a better understanding is needed of the effects of inhibition on fermentation products, fermentation heat, and microbial biomass. Inhibition induces the accumulation of H2, the main substrate used to produce methane, that has no energetic value for the host, and it is not extensively used by the majority of rumen microbes. Currently, the fate of this excess of H2 and its consequences on the microbiota and the host are not well known. All this additional information will provide a better account of energy transactions in ruminants when enteric methanogenesis is inhibited. Based on the available information, it is concluded that the claim that enteric methane inhibition will translate into more feed-efficient animals is not warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- D P Morgavi
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Herbivores, F-63122 Saint-Genes-Champanelle, France.
| | - G Cantalapiedra-Hijar
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Herbivores, F-63122 Saint-Genes-Champanelle, France
| | - M Eugène
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Herbivores, F-63122 Saint-Genes-Champanelle, France
| | - C Martin
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Herbivores, F-63122 Saint-Genes-Champanelle, France
| | - P Noziere
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Herbivores, F-63122 Saint-Genes-Champanelle, France
| | - M Popova
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Herbivores, F-63122 Saint-Genes-Champanelle, France
| | - I Ortigues-Marty
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Herbivores, F-63122 Saint-Genes-Champanelle, France
| | - R Muñoz-Tamayo
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR Modélisation Systémique Appliquée aux Ruminants, 91120 Palaiseau, France
| | - E M Ungerfeld
- Centro Regional de Investigación Carillanca, Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias INIA, Temuco 4880000, Chile
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3
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Razia S, Hadibarata T, Lau SY. Acidophilic microorganisms in remediation of contaminants present in extremely acidic conditions. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 2023; 46:341-358. [PMID: 36602611 DOI: 10.1007/s00449-022-02844-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Acidophiles are a group of microorganisms that thrive in acidic environments where pH level is far below the neutral value 7.0. They belong to a larger family called extremophiles, which is a group that thrives in various extreme environmental conditions which are normally inhospitable to other organisms. Several human activities such as mining, construction and other industrial processes release highly acidic effluents and wastes into the environment. Those acidic wastes and wastewaters contain different types of pollutants such as heavy metals, radioactive, and organic, whose have adverse effects on human being as well as on other living organisms. To protect the whole ecosystem, those pollutants containing effluents or wastes must be clean properly before releasing into environment. Physicochemical cleanup processes under extremely acidic conditions are not always successful due to high cost and release of toxic byproducts. While in case of biological methods, except acidophiles, no other microorganisms cannot survive in highly acidic conditions. Therefore, acidophiles can be a good choice for remediation of different types of contaminants present in acidic conditions. In this review article, various roles of acidophilic microorganisms responsible for removing heavy metals and radioactive pollutants from acidic environments were discussed. Bioremediation of various acidic organic pollutants by using acidophiles was also studied. Overall, this review could be helpful to extend our knowledge as well as to do further relevant novel studies in the field of acidic pollutants remediation by applying acidophilic microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sultana Razia
- Environmental Engineering Program, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Curtin University, Miri, Malaysia
| | - Tony Hadibarata
- Environmental Engineering Program, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Curtin University, Miri, Malaysia.
| | - Sie Yon Lau
- Department of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Curtin University, Miri, Malaysia
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4
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Sand W, Schippers A, Hedrich S, Vera M. Progress in bioleaching: fundamentals and mechanisms of microbial metal sulfide oxidation - part A. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:6933-6952. [PMID: 36194263 PMCID: PMC9592645 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-12168-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Bioleaching of metal sulfides is performed by diverse microorganisms. The dissolution of metal sulfides occurs via two chemical pathways, either the thiosulfate or the polysulfide pathway. These are determined by the metal sulfides’ mineralogy and their acid solubility. The microbial cell enables metal sulfide dissolution via oxidation of iron(II) ions and inorganic sulfur compounds. Thereby, the metal sulfide attacking agents iron(III) ions and protons are generated. Cells are active either in a planktonic state or attached to the mineral surface, forming biofilms. This review, as an update of the previous one (Vera et al., 2013a), summarizes some recent discoveries relevant to bioleaching microorganisms, contributing to a better understanding of their lifestyle. These comprise phylogeny, chemical pathways, surface science, biochemistry of iron and sulfur metabolism, anaerobic metabolism, cell–cell communication, molecular biology, and biofilm lifestyle. Recent advances from genetic engineering applied to bioleaching microorganisms will allow in the future to better understand important aspects of their physiology, as well as to open new possibilities for synthetic biology applications of leaching microbial consortia. Key points • Leaching of metal sulfides is strongly enhanced by microorganisms • Biofilm formation and extracellular polymer production influences bioleaching • Cell interactions in mixed bioleaching cultures are key for process optimization
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Sand
- Institute of Biosciences, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany. .,Faculty of Chemistry, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
| | - Axel Schippers
- Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR), Hannover, Germany
| | - Sabrina Hedrich
- Institute of Biosciences, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany
| | - Mario Vera
- Instituto de Ingeniería Biológica y Médica, Escuelas de Ingeniería, Medicina y Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. .,Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y Ambiental, Escuela de Ingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
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5
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Rijal R, Kirolos SA, Rahman RJ, Gomer RH. Dictyostelium discoideum cells retain nutrients when the cells are about to overgrow their food source. J Cell Sci 2022; 135:276454. [PMID: 36017702 PMCID: PMC9592050 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.260107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Dictyostelium discoideum is a unicellular eukaryote that eats bacteria, and eventually outgrows the bacteria. D. discoideum cells accumulate extracellular polyphosphate (polyP), and the polyP concentration increases as the local cell density increases. At high cell densities, the correspondingly high extracellular polyP concentrations allow cells to sense that they are about to outgrow their food supply and starve, causing the D. discoideum cells to inhibit their proliferation. In this report, we show that high extracellular polyP inhibits exocytosis of undigested or partially digested nutrients. PolyP decreases plasma membrane recycling and apparent cell membrane fluidity, and this requires the G protein-coupled polyP receptor GrlD, the polyphosphate kinase Ppk1 and the inositol hexakisphosphate kinase I6kA. PolyP alters protein contents in detergent-insoluble crude cytoskeletons, but does not significantly affect random cell motility, cell speed or F-actin levels. Together, these data suggest that D. discoideum cells use polyP as a signal to sense their local cell density and reduce cell membrane fluidity and membrane recycling, perhaps as a mechanism to retain ingested food when the cells are about to starve. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh Rijal
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3474, USA
| | - Sara A Kirolos
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3474, USA
| | - Ryan J Rahman
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3474, USA
| | - Richard H Gomer
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3474, USA
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6
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Muñoz-Villagrán C, Grossolli-Gálvez J, Acevedo-Arbunic J, Valenzuela X, Ferrer A, Díez B, Levicán G. Characterization and genomic analysis of two novel psychrotolerant Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans strains from polar and subpolar environments. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:960324. [PMID: 36090071 PMCID: PMC9449456 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.960324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The bioleaching process is carried out by aerobic acidophilic iron-oxidizing bacteria that are mainly mesophilic or moderately thermophilic. However, many mining sites are located in areas where the mean temperature is lower than the optimal growth temperature of these microorganisms. In this work, we report the obtaining and characterization of two psychrotolerant bioleaching bacterial strains from low-temperature sites that included an abandoned mine site in Chilean Patagonia (PG05) and an acid rock drainage in Marian Cove, King George Island in Antarctic (MC2.2). The PG05 and MC2.2 strains showed significant iron-oxidation activity and grew optimally at 20°C. Genome sequence analyses showed chromosomes of 2.76 and 2.84 Mbp for PG05 and MC2.2, respectively, and an average nucleotide identity estimation indicated that both strains clustered with the acidophilic iron-oxidizing bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. The Patagonian PG05 strain had a high content of genes coding for tolerance to metals such as lead, zinc, and copper. Concordantly, electron microscopy revealed the intracellular presence of polyphosphate-like granules, likely involved in tolerance to metals and other stress conditions. The Antarctic MC2.2 strain showed a high dosage of genes for mercury resistance and low temperature adaptation. This report of cold-adapted cultures of the At. ferrooxidans species opens novel perspectives to satisfy the current challenges of the metal bioleaching industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Muñoz-Villagrán
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago, Chile
| | - Jonnathan Grossolli-Gálvez
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago, Chile
| | - Javiera Acevedo-Arbunic
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago, Chile
| | - Ximena Valenzuela
- Programa de Biorremediación, Campus Patagonia, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Alonso Ferrer
- Núcleo de Química y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Ingeniería y Tecnología, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
| | - Beatriz Díez
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Climate and Resilience Research (CR)2, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Genome Regulation (CRG), Santiago, Chile
| | - Gloria Levicán
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago, Chile
- *Correspondence: Gloria Levicán,
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7
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Lewis AM, Recalde A, Bräsen C, Counts JA, Nussbaum P, Bost J, Schocke L, Shen L, Willard DJ, Quax TEF, Peeters E, Siebers B, Albers SV, Kelly RM. The biology of thermoacidophilic archaea from the order Sulfolobales. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 45:fuaa063. [PMID: 33476388 PMCID: PMC8557808 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuaa063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Thermoacidophilic archaea belonging to the order Sulfolobales thrive in extreme biotopes, such as sulfuric hot springs and ore deposits. These microorganisms have been model systems for understanding life in extreme environments, as well as for probing the evolution of both molecular genetic processes and central metabolic pathways. Thermoacidophiles, such as the Sulfolobales, use typical microbial responses to persist in hot acid (e.g. motility, stress response, biofilm formation), albeit with some unusual twists. They also exhibit unique physiological features, including iron and sulfur chemolithoautotrophy, that differentiate them from much of the microbial world. Although first discovered >50 years ago, it was not until recently that genome sequence data and facile genetic tools have been developed for species in the Sulfolobales. These advances have not only opened up ways to further probe novel features of these microbes but also paved the way for their potential biotechnological applications. Discussed here are the nuances of the thermoacidophilic lifestyle of the Sulfolobales, including their evolutionary placement, cell biology, survival strategies, genetic tools, metabolic processes and physiological attributes together with how these characteristics make thermoacidophiles ideal platforms for specialized industrial processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- April M Lewis
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University. Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Alejandra Recalde
- Institute for Biology, Molecular Biology of Archaea, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christopher Bräsen
- Department of Molecular Enzyme Technology and Biochemistry, Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, and Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany
| | - James A Counts
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University. Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Phillip Nussbaum
- Institute for Biology, Molecular Biology of Archaea, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jan Bost
- Institute for Biology, Molecular Biology of Archaea, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Larissa Schocke
- Department of Molecular Enzyme Technology and Biochemistry, Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, and Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany
| | - Lu Shen
- Department of Molecular Enzyme Technology and Biochemistry, Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, and Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany
| | - Daniel J Willard
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University. Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Tessa E F Quax
- Archaeal Virus–Host Interactions, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Eveline Peeters
- Research Group of Microbiology, Department of Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bettina Siebers
- Department of Molecular Enzyme Technology and Biochemistry, Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, and Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany
| | - Sonja-Verena Albers
- Institute for Biology, Molecular Biology of Archaea, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Robert M Kelly
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University. Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
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8
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Vogt MS, Ngouoko Nguepbeu RR, Mohr MKF, Albers SV, Essen LO, Banerjee A. The archaeal triphosphate tunnel metalloenzyme SaTTM defines structural determinants for the diverse activities in the CYTH protein family. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:100820. [PMID: 34029589 PMCID: PMC8233210 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
CYTH proteins make up a large superfamily that is conserved in all three domains of life. These enzymes have a triphosphate tunnel metalloenzyme (TTM) fold, which typically results in phosphatase functions, e.g., RNA triphosphatase, inorganic polyphosphatase, or thiamine triphosphatase. Some CYTH orthologs cyclize nucleotide triphosphates to 3′,5′-cyclic nucleotides. So far, archaeal CYTH proteins have been annotated as adenylyl cyclases, although experimental evidence to support these annotations is lacking. To address this gap, we characterized a CYTH ortholog, SaTTM, from the crenarchaeote Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. Our in silico studies derived ten major subclasses within the CYTH family implying a close relationship between these archaeal CYTH enzymes and class IV adenylyl cyclases. However, initial biochemical characterization reveals inability of SaTTM to produce any cyclic nucleotides. Instead, our structural and functional analyses show a classical TTM behavior, i.e., triphosphatase activity, where pyrophosphate causes product inhibition. The Ca2+-inhibited Michaelis complex indicates a two-metal-ion reaction mechanism analogous to other TTMs. Cocrystal structures of SaTTM further reveal conformational dynamics in SaTTM that suggest feedback inhibition in TTMs due to tunnel closure in the product state. These structural insights combined with further sequence similarity network–based in silico analyses provide a firm molecular basis for distinguishing CYTH orthologs with phosphatase activities from class IV adenylyl cyclases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian S Vogt
- Department of Chemistry, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | | | - Michael K F Mohr
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sonja-Verena Albers
- Institute of Biology II, Molecular Biology of Archaea, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Lars-Oliver Essen
- Department of Chemistry, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany; Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Ankan Banerjee
- Department of Chemistry, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany; Department of Genetics, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
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9
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Did Cyclic Metaphosphates Have a Role in the Origin of Life? ORIGINS LIFE EVOL B 2021; 51:1-60. [PMID: 33721178 DOI: 10.1007/s11084-021-09604-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
How life began still eludes science life, the initial progenote in the context presented herein, being a chemical aggregate of primordial inorganic and organic molecules capable of self-replication and evolution into ever increasingly complex forms and functions.Presented is a hypothesis that a mineral scaffold generated by geological processes and containing polymerized phosphate units was present in primordial seas that provided the initiating factor responsible for the sequestration and organization of primordial life's constituents. Unlike previous hypotheses proposing phosphates as the essential initiating factor, the key phosphate described here is not a polynucleotide or just any condensed phosphate but a large (in the range of at least 1 kilo-phosphate subunits), water soluble, cyclic metaphosphate, which is a closed loop chain of polymerized inorganic phosphate residues containing only phosphate middle groups. The chain forms an intrinsic 4-phosphate helix analogous to its structure in Na Kurrol's salt, and as with DNA, very large metaphosphates may fold into hairpin structures. Using a Holliday-junction-like scrambling mechanism, also analogous to DNA, rings may be manipulated (increased, decreased, exchanged) easily with little to no need for additional energy, the reaction being essentially an isomerization.A literature review is presented describing findings that support the above hypothesis. Reviewed is condensed phosphate inorganic chemistry including its geological origins, biological occurrence, enzymes and their genetics through eukaryotes, polyphosphate functions, circular polynucleotides and the role of the Holliday junction, previous biogenesis hypotheses, and an Eoarchean Era timeline.
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10
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Barragán CE, Márquez MA, Dopson M, Montoya D. RNA transcript response by an Acidithiobacillus spp. mixed culture reveals adaptations to growth on arsenopyrite. Extremophiles 2021; 25:143-158. [PMID: 33616780 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-021-01217-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Biooxidation of gold-bearing refractory mineral ores such as arsenopyrite (FeAsS) in stirred tanks produces solutions containing highly toxic arsenic concentrations. In this study, ferrous iron and inorganic sulfur-oxidizing Acidithiobacillus strain IBUN Ppt12 most similar to Acidithiobacillus ferrianus and inorganic sulfur compound oxidizing Acidithiobacillus sp. IBUNS3 were grown in co-culture during biooxidation of refractory FeAsS. Total RNA was extracted and sequenced from the planktonic cells to reveal genes with different transcript counts involved in the response to FeAsS containing medium. The co-culture's response to arsenic release during biooxidation included the ars operon genes that were independently regulated according to the arsenopyrite concentration. Additionally, increased mRNA transcript counts were identified for transmembrane ion transport proteins, stress response mechanisms, accumulation of inorganic polyphosphates, urea catabolic processes, and tryptophan biosynthesis. Acidithiobacillus spp. RNA transcripts also included those encoding the Rus and PetI proteins involved in ferrous iron oxidation and gene clusters annotated as encoding inorganic sulfur compound metabolism enzymes. Finally, mRNA counts of genes related to DNA methylation, management of oxidative stress, chemotaxis, and motility during biooxidation were decreased compared to cells growing without mineral. The results provide insights into the adaptation of Acidithiobacillus spp. to growth during biooxidation of arsenic-bearing sulfides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Eduardo Barragán
- Bioprocesses and Bioprospecting Group, Biotechnology Institute (IBUN), Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá D.C., Colombia
- Applied Mineralogy and Bioprocesses Research Group, Facultad de Minas, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Marco Antonio Márquez
- Applied Mineralogy and Bioprocesses Research Group, Facultad de Minas, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Mark Dopson
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems EEMiS, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Dolly Montoya
- Bioprocesses and Bioprospecting Group, Biotechnology Institute (IBUN), Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá D.C., Colombia.
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11
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The Role of Polyphosphate in Motility, Adhesion, and Biofilm Formation in Sulfolobales. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9010193. [PMID: 33477546 PMCID: PMC7831078 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9010193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyphosphates (polyP) are polymers of orthophosphate residues linked by high-energy phosphoanhydride bonds that are important in all domains of life and function in many different processes, including biofilm development. To study the effect of polyP in archaeal biofilm formation, our previously described Sa. solfataricus polyP (−) strain and a new polyP (−) S. acidocaldarius strain generated in this report were used. These two strains lack the polymer due to the overexpression of their respective exopolyphosphatase gene (ppx). Both strains showed a reduction in biofilm formation, decreased motility on semi-solid plates and a diminished adherence to glass surfaces as seen by DAPI (4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) staining using fluorescence microscopy. Even though arlB (encoding the archaellum subunit) was highly upregulated in S. acidocardarius polyP (−), no archaellated cells were observed. These results suggest that polyP might be involved in the regulation of the expression of archaellum components and their assembly, possibly by affecting energy availability, phosphorylation or other phenomena. This is the first evidence indicating polyP affects biofilm formation and other related processes in archaea.
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12
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Unlocking Survival Mechanisms for Metal and Oxidative Stress in the Extremely Acidophilic, Halotolerant Acidihalobacter Genus. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11121392. [PMID: 33255299 PMCID: PMC7760498 DOI: 10.3390/genes11121392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms used for the biohydrometallurgical extraction of metals from minerals must be able to survive high levels of metal and oxidative stress found in bioleaching environments. The Acidihalobacter genus consists of four species of halotolerant, iron–sulfur-oxidizing acidophiles that are unique in their ability to tolerate chloride and acid stress while simultaneously bioleaching minerals. This paper uses bioinformatic tools to predict the genes and mechanisms used by Acidihalobacter members in their defense against a wide range of metals and oxidative stress. Analysis revealed the presence of multiple conserved mechanisms of metal tolerance. Ac. yilgarnensis F5T, the only member of this genus that oxidizes the mineral chalcopyrite, contained a 39.9 Kb gene cluster consisting of 40 genes encoding mobile elements and an array of proteins with direct functions in copper resistance. The analysis also revealed multiple strategies that the Acidihalobacter members can use to tolerate high levels of oxidative stress. Three of the Acidihalobacter genomes were found to contain genes encoding catalases, which are not common to acidophilic microorganisms. Of particular interest was a rubrerythrin genomic cluster containing genes that have a polyphyletic origin of stress-related functions.
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Barahona S, Castro-Severyn J, Dorador C, Saavedra C, Remonsellez F. Determinants of Copper Resistance in Acidithiobacillus Ferrivorans ACH Isolated from the Chilean Altiplano. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11080844. [PMID: 32722087 PMCID: PMC7463520 DOI: 10.3390/genes11080844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of microorganisms in mining processes is a technology widely employed around the world. Leaching bacteria are characterized by having resistance mechanisms for several metals found in their acidic environments, some of which have been partially described in the Acidithiobacillus genus (mainly on ferrooxidans species). However, the response to copper has not been studied in the psychrotolerant Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans strains. Therefore, we propose to elucidate the response mechanisms of A. ferrivorans ACH to high copper concentrations (0-800 mM), describing its genetic repertoire and transcriptional regulation. Our results show that A. ferrivorans ACH can grow in up to 400 mM of copper. Moreover, we found the presence of several copper-related makers, belonging to cop and cus systems, as well as rusticyanins and periplasmatic acop protein in the genome. Interestingly, the ACH strain is the only one in which we find three copies of copB and copZ genes. Moreover, transcriptional expression showed an up-regulation response (acop, copZ, cusA, rusA, and rusB) to high copper concentrations. Finally, our results support the important role of these genes in A. ferrivorans copper stress resistance, promoting the use of the ACH strain in industrial leaching under low temperatures, which could decrease the activation times of oxidation processes and the energy costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Barahona
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada y Extremófilos, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile;
- Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recurso Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile;
- Programa de Doctorado en Ingeniería de Procesos de Minerales, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile
- Correspondence: (S.B.); (F.R.)
| | - Juan Castro-Severyn
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada y Extremófilos, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile;
| | - Cristina Dorador
- Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recurso Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile;
- Centro de Biotecnología y Bioingeniería (CeBiB), Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile
| | - Claudia Saavedra
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 8320000, Chile;
| | - Francisco Remonsellez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada y Extremófilos, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile;
- Centro de Investigación Tecnológica del Agua en el Desierto (CEITSAZA), Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile
- Correspondence: (S.B.); (F.R.)
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Hovnanyan K, Marutyan S, Marutyan S, Hovnanyan M, Navasardyan L, Trchounian A. Ultrastructural investigation of acidocalcisomes and ATPase activity in yeast Candida guilliermondii NP-4 as 'complementary' stress-targets. Lett Appl Microbiol 2020; 71:413-419. [PMID: 32623751 DOI: 10.1111/lam.13348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
As a result of electron microscopic studies of morphogenesis in yeast Candida guilliermondii NP-4, the formation of new structures of volutin acidocalcisomes has been established within the cell cytoplasm. Under influence of X-irradiation, the changes in morphometric and electron-dense properties of yeast cells were identified: in yeast cytoplasm, the electron-dense volutin granules were increased up to 400 nm in size. After 24-h post-irradiation incubation of yeasts, the large volutin pellets are fragmented into smaller number particles in size up to 25-150 nm. The ATPase activity in yeast mitochondria was changed under X-irradiation. In latent phase of growth, ATPase activity was decreased 1·35-fold in comparison with non-irradiated yeasts. In logarithmic phase of growth, ATPase activity was three times higher than in latent phase, and in stationary phase of growth it has a value similar to the latent phase. Probably, the cells receive the necessary energy from alternative energy sources, such as volutin. Electron microscopy of volutin granule changes might serve as convenient method for evaluation of damages and repair processes in cells under influence of different environmental stress-factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Hovnanyan
- Scientific and Technological Center of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Academy of Sciences of RA, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - S Marutyan
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Yerevan State University, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - S Marutyan
- Research Institute of Biology, Yerevan State University, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - M Hovnanyan
- Scientific and Technological Center of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Academy of Sciences of RA, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - L Navasardyan
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Yerevan State University, Yerevan, Armenia.,Research Institute of Biology, Yerevan State University, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - A Trchounian
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Yerevan State University, Yerevan, Armenia.,Research Institute of Biology, Yerevan State University, Yerevan, Armenia
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15
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Genomic and biotechnological insights on stress-linked polyphosphate production induced by chromium(III) in Ochrobactrum anthropi DE2010. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 36:97. [DOI: 10.1007/s11274-020-02875-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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16
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Vargas-Straube MJ, Beard S, Norambuena R, Paradela A, Vera M, Jerez CA. High copper concentration reduces biofilm formation in Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans by decreasing production of extracellular polymeric substances and its adherence to elemental sulfur. J Proteomics 2020; 225:103874. [PMID: 32569817 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2020.103874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is an acidophilic bacterium able to grow in environments with high concentrations of metals. It is a chemolithoautotroph able to form biofilms on the surface of solid minerals to obtain its energy. The response of both planktonic and sessile cells of A. ferrooxidans ATCC 23270 grown in elemental sulfur and adapted to high copper concentration was analyzed by quantitative proteomics. It was found that 137 proteins varied their abundance when comparing both lifestyles. Copper effllux proteins, some subunits of the ATP synthase complex, porins, and proteins involved in cell wall modification increased their abundance in copper-adapted sessile lifestyle cells. On the other hand, planktonic copper-adapted cells showed increased levels of proteins such as: cupreredoxins involved in copper cell sequestration, some proteins related to sulfur metabolism, those involved in biosynthesis and transport of lipopolysaccharides, and in assembly of type IV pili. During copper adaptation a decreased formation of biofilms was measured as determined by epifluorescence microscopy. This was apparently due not only to a diminished number of sessile cells but also to their exopolysaccharides production. This is the first study showing that copper, a prevalent metal in biomining environments causes dispersion of A. ferrooxidans biofilms. SIGNIFICANCE: Copper is a metal frequently found in high concentrations at mining environments inhabitated by acidophilic microorganisms. Copper resistance determinants of A. ferrooxidans have been previously studied in planktonic cells. Although biofilms are recurrent in these types of environments, the effect of copper on their formation has not been studied so far. The results obtained indicate that high concentrations of copper reduce the capacity of A. ferrooxidans ATCC 23270 to form biofilms on sulfur. These findings may be relevant to consider for a bacterium widely used in copper bioleaching processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Vargas-Straube
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - S Beard
- Fundación Ciencia y Vida, Santiago, Chile
| | - R Norambuena
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - A Paradela
- Proteomics Laboratory, National Biotechnology Center, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - M Vera
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.; Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - C A Jerez
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile..
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Leung PM, Bay SK, Meier DV, Chiri E, Cowan DA, Gillor O, Woebken D, Greening C. Energetic Basis of Microbial Growth and Persistence in Desert Ecosystems. mSystems 2020; 5:e00495-19. [PMID: 32291352 PMCID: PMC7159902 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00495-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial life is surprisingly abundant and diverse in global desert ecosystems. In these environments, microorganisms endure a multitude of physicochemical stresses, including low water potential, carbon and nitrogen starvation, and extreme temperatures. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the energetic mechanisms and trophic dynamics that underpin microbial function in desert ecosystems. Accumulating evidence suggests that dormancy is a common strategy that facilitates microbial survival in response to water and carbon limitation. Whereas photoautotrophs are restricted to specific niches in extreme deserts, metabolically versatile heterotrophs persist even in the hyper-arid topsoils of the Atacama Desert and Antarctica. At least three distinct strategies appear to allow such microorganisms to conserve energy in these oligotrophic environments: degradation of organic energy reserves, rhodopsin- and bacteriochlorophyll-dependent light harvesting, and oxidation of the atmospheric trace gases hydrogen and carbon monoxide. In turn, these principles are relevant for understanding the composition, functionality, and resilience of desert ecosystems, as well as predicting responses to the growing problem of desertification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pok Man Leung
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sean K Bay
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dimitri V Meier
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eleonora Chiri
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Don A Cowan
- Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Osnat Gillor
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Sde Boker, Israel
| | - Dagmar Woebken
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Chris Greening
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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18
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González D, Álamos P, Rivero M, Orellana O, Norambuena J, Chávez R, Levicán G. Deciphering the Role of Multiple Thioredoxin Fold Proteins of Leptospirillum sp. in Oxidative Stress Tolerance. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21051880. [PMID: 32164170 PMCID: PMC7084401 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21051880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Thioredoxin fold proteins (TFPs) form a family of diverse proteins involved in thiol/disulfide exchange in cells from all domains of life. Leptospirillum spp. are bioleaching bacteria naturally exposed to extreme conditions like acidic pH and high concentrations of metals that can contribute to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and consequently the induction of thiol oxidative damage. Bioinformatic studies have predicted 13 genes that encode for TFP proteins in Leptospirillum spp. We analyzed the participation of individual tfp genes from Leptospirillum sp. CF-1 in the response to oxidative conditions. Genomic context analysis predicted the involvement of these genes in the general thiol-reducing system, cofactor biosynthesis, carbon fixation, cytochrome c biogenesis, signal transduction, and pilus and fimbria assembly. All tfp genes identified were transcriptionally active, although they responded differentially to ferric sulfate and diamide stress. Some of these genes confer oxidative protection to a thioredoxin-deficient Escherichia coli strain by restoring the wild-type phenotype under oxidative stress conditions. These findings contribute to our understanding of the diversity and complexity of thiol/disulfide systems, and of adaptations that emerge in acidophilic microorganisms that allow them to thrive in highly oxidative environments. These findings also give new insights into the physiology of these microorganisms during industrial bioleaching operations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela González
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 3363, Estación Central Santiago 917022, Chile; (D.G.); (P.Á.); (M.R.); (J.N.); (R.C.)
- Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile;
| | - Pamela Álamos
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 3363, Estación Central Santiago 917022, Chile; (D.G.); (P.Á.); (M.R.); (J.N.); (R.C.)
| | - Matías Rivero
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 3363, Estación Central Santiago 917022, Chile; (D.G.); (P.Á.); (M.R.); (J.N.); (R.C.)
| | - Omar Orellana
- Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile;
| | - Javiera Norambuena
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 3363, Estación Central Santiago 917022, Chile; (D.G.); (P.Á.); (M.R.); (J.N.); (R.C.)
| | - Renato Chávez
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 3363, Estación Central Santiago 917022, Chile; (D.G.); (P.Á.); (M.R.); (J.N.); (R.C.)
| | - Gloria Levicán
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 3363, Estación Central Santiago 917022, Chile; (D.G.); (P.Á.); (M.R.); (J.N.); (R.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +56-2-27181125
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19
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Paula FS, Chin JP, Schnürer A, Müller B, Manesiotis P, Waters N, Macintosh KA, Quinn JP, Connolly J, Abram F, McGrath JW, O'Flaherty V. The potential for polyphosphate metabolism in Archaea and anaerobic polyphosphate formation in Methanosarcina mazei. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17101. [PMID: 31745137 PMCID: PMC6864096 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-53168-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) is ubiquitous across all forms of life, but the study of its metabolism has been mainly confined to bacteria and yeasts. Few reports detail the presence and accumulation of polyP in Archaea, and little information is available on its functions and regulation. Here, we report that homologs of bacterial polyP metabolism proteins are present across the major taxa in the Archaea, suggesting that archaeal populations may have a greater contribution to global phosphorus cycling than has previously been recognised. We also demonstrate that polyP accumulation can be induced under strictly anaerobic conditions, in response to changes in phosphate (Pi) availability, i.e. Pi starvation, followed by incubation in Pi replete media (overplus), in cells of the methanogenic archaeon Methanosarcina mazei. Pi-starved M. mazei cells increased transcript abundance of the alkaline phosphatase (phoA) gene and of the high-affinity phosphate transport (pstSCAB-phoU) operon: no increase in polyphosphate kinase 1 (ppk1) transcript abundance was observed. Subsequent incubation of Pi-starved M. mazei cells under Pi replete conditions, led to a 237% increase in intracellular polyphosphate content and a > 5.7-fold increase in ppk1 gene transcripts. Ppk1 expression in M. mazei thus appears not to be under classical phosphate starvation control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiana S Paula
- Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Republic of Ireland.
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Biocenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Jason P Chin
- School of Biological Sciences and the Institute for Global Food Security, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Anna Schnürer
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Biocenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Bettina Müller
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Biocenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Panagiotis Manesiotis
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Nicholas Waters
- Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Republic of Ireland
- Information and Computational Sciences, James Hutton Institute, Dundee, UK
| | - Katrina A Macintosh
- School of Biological Sciences and the Institute for Global Food Security, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - John P Quinn
- School of Biological Sciences and the Institute for Global Food Security, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Jasmine Connolly
- Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Republic of Ireland
| | - Florence Abram
- Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Republic of Ireland
| | - John W McGrath
- School of Biological Sciences and the Institute for Global Food Security, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Vincent O'Flaherty
- Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Republic of Ireland.
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20
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Panyushkina AE, Babenko VV, Nikitina AS, Selezneva OV, Tsaplina IA, Letarova MA, Kostryukova ES, Letarov AV. Sulfobacillus thermotolerans: new insights into resistance and metabolic capacities of acidophilic chemolithotrophs. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15069. [PMID: 31636299 PMCID: PMC6803676 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51486-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The first complete genome of the biotechnologically important species Sulfobacillus thermotolerans has been sequenced. Its 3 317 203-bp chromosome contains an 83 269-bp plasmid-like region, which carries heavy metal resistance determinants and the rusticyanin gene. Plasmid-mediated metal resistance is unusual for acidophilic chemolithotrophs. Moreover, most of their plasmids are cryptic and do not contribute to the phenotype of the host cells. A polyphosphate-based mechanism of metal resistance, which has been previously unknown in the genus Sulfobacillus or other Gram-positive chemolithotrophs, potentially operates in two Sulfobacillus species. The methylcitrate cycle typical for pathogens and identified in the genus Sulfobacillus for the first time can fulfill the energy and/or protective function in S. thermotolerans Kr1 and two other Sulfobacillus species, which have incomplete glyoxylate cycles. It is notable that the TCA cycle, disrupted in all Sulfobacillus isolates under optimal growth conditions, proved to be complete in the cells enduring temperature stress. An efficient antioxidant defense system gives S. thermotolerans another competitive advantage in the microbial communities inhabiting acidic metal-rich environments. The genomic comparisons revealed 80 unique genes in the strain Kr1, including those involved in lactose/galactose catabolism. The results provide new insights into metabolism and resistance mechanisms in the Sulfobacillus genus and other acidophiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna E Panyushkina
- Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Moscow, 119071, Russia.
| | - Vladislav V Babenko
- Federal Medical Biological Agency, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia
| | - Anastasia S Nikitina
- Federal Medical Biological Agency, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia
| | - Oksana V Selezneva
- Federal Medical Biological Agency, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia
| | - Iraida A Tsaplina
- Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Moscow, 119071, Russia
| | - Maria A Letarova
- Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Moscow, 119071, Russia
| | - Elena S Kostryukova
- Federal Medical Biological Agency, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia
| | - Andrey V Letarov
- Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Moscow, 119071, Russia
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21
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Moya-Beltrán A, Rojas-Villalobos C, Díaz M, Guiliani N, Quatrini R, Castro M. Nucleotide Second Messenger-Based Signaling in Extreme Acidophiles of the Acidithiobacillus Species Complex: Partition Between the Core and Variable Gene Complements. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:381. [PMID: 30899248 PMCID: PMC6416229 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclic and linear nucleotides are key elements of the signal transduction networks linking perception of the environment to specific cellular behavior of prokaryotes. These molecular mechanisms are particularly important in bacteria exposed to different, and frequently simultaneous, types of extreme conditions. This is the case in acidithiobacilli, a group of extremophilic bacteria thriving in highly acidic biotopes, that must also cope with significant variations in temperature, osmotic potentials and concentrations of various transition metals and metalloids. Environmental cues sensed by bacteria are transduced into differential levels of nucleotides acting as intracellular second messengers, promoting the activation or inhibition of target components and eliciting different output phenotypes. Cyclic (c) di-GMP, one of the most common bacterial second messengers, plays a key role in lifestyle changes in many bacteria, including acidithiobacilli. The presence of functional c-di-GMP-dependent signal transduction pathways in representative strains of the best-known linages of this species complex has been reported. However, a comprehensive panorama of the c-di-GMP modulated networks, the cognate input signals and output responses, are still missing for this group of extremophiles. Moreover, little fundamental understanding has been gathered for other nucleotides acting as second messengers. Taking advantage of the increasing number of sequenced genomes of the taxon, here we address the challenge of disentangling the nucleotide-driven signal transduction pathways in this group of polyextremophiles using comparative genomic tools and strategies. Results indicate that the acidithiobacilli possess all the genetic elements required to establish functional transduction pathways based in three different nucleotide-second messengers: (p)ppGpp, cyclic AMP (cAMP), and c-di-GMP. The elements related with the metabolism and transduction of (p)ppGpp and cAMP appear highly conserved, integrating signals related with nutrient starvation and polyphosphate metabolism, respectively. In contrast, c-di-GMP networks appear diverse and complex, differing both at the species and strain levels. Molecular elements of c-di-GMP metabolism and transduction were mostly found scattered along the flexible genome of the acidithiobacilli, allowing the identification of probable control modules that could be critical for substrate colonization, biofilm development and intercellular interactions. These may ultimately convey increased endurance to environmental stress and increased potential for gene sharing and adaptation to changing conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Moya-Beltrán
- Microbial Ecophysiology Laboratory, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile.,Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile.,Millennium Nucleus in the Biology of Intestinal Microbiota, Santiago, Chile
| | - Camila Rojas-Villalobos
- Microbial Ecophysiology Laboratory, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile.,Millennium Nucleus in the Biology of Intestinal Microbiota, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mauricio Díaz
- Laboratorio de Comunicación Bacteriana, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nicolás Guiliani
- Laboratorio de Comunicación Bacteriana, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Raquel Quatrini
- Microbial Ecophysiology Laboratory, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile.,Millennium Nucleus in the Biology of Intestinal Microbiota, Santiago, Chile
| | - Matías Castro
- Microbial Ecophysiology Laboratory, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile.,Millennium Nucleus in the Biology of Intestinal Microbiota, Santiago, Chile
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Song X, Yang W, Lin Z, Huang L, Quan X. A loop of catholyte effluent feeding to bioanodes for complete recovery of Sn, Fe, and Cu with simultaneous treatment of the co-present organics in microbial fuel cells. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 651:1698-1708. [PMID: 30317169 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Revised: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/07/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
A loop of catholyte effluent feeding to the bioanodes of air-cathode microbial fuel cells (MFCs) achieved complete recovery of mixed Sn(II), Fe(II) and Cu(II), with simultaneous treatment of the co-present organics in synthetic wastewater of printed circuit boards (PrCBs). This in-situ utilization of caustic in the cathodes and the neutralization of acid in the anodes achieved superior metal recovery performance at an optimal hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 24 h. Cathode chambers primarily removed Sn of 91 ± 4% (bottom: 74 ± 3%; electrode: 17 ± 1%), Fe of 89 ± 8% (bottom: 64 ± 4%; electrode: 25 ± 2%), and Cu of 92 ± 7% (electrode: 63 ± 5%; bottom: 29 ± 1%), compared to Sn of 9 ± 3% (electrode: 7 ± 1%; bottom: 2 ± 1%), Fe of 9 ± 3% (electrode: 8 ± 3%; bottom: 1 ± 0%), and Cu of 7 ± 3% (electrode: 4 ± 1%; bottom: 3 ± 1%) in the bioanodes. Bacterial communities on the anodes were well evolutionarily developed after the feeding of catholyte effluent, with the increase in abundance of Rhodopseudomonas and Geobacter, and the shift from Thiobacillus and Acinetobacter to Pseudomonas, Comamonas, Aeromonas and Azospira. This loop of cathodic effluent feeding to the bioanodes of MFCs may represent a unique method for complete metal recovery with simultaneous extraction of renewable electrical energy from the co-present organics. This study also offers new insights into the development of compact microbial electro-metallurgical processes for simultaneous recovery of value-added products from PrCBs processing wastewaters and accomplishing the national wastewater discharge standard for both metals and organics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Song
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Ministry of Education (MOE), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Wulin Yang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States of America
| | - Zheqian Lin
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Ministry of Education (MOE), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Liping Huang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Ministry of Education (MOE), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
| | - Xie Quan
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Ministry of Education (MOE), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
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23
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Wang L, Liu Q, Wu X, Huang Y, Wise MJ, Liu Z, Wang W, Hu J, Wang C. Bioinformatics Analysis of Metabolism Pathways of Archaeal Energy Reserves. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1034. [PMID: 30705313 PMCID: PMC6355812 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37768-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Energy storage compounds play crucial roles in prokaryotic physiology. Five chemical compounds have been identified in prokaryotes as energy reserves: polyphosphate (polyP), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), glycogen, wax ester (WE) and triacylglycerol (TAG). Currently, no systematic study of archaeal energy storage metabolism exists. In this study, we collected 427 archaeal reference sequences from UniProt database. A thorough pathway screening of energy reserves led to an overview of distribution patterns of energy metabolism in archaea. We also explored how energy metabolism might have impact on archaeal extremophilic phenotypes. Based on the systematic analyses of archaeal proteomes, we confirmed that metabolism pathways of polyP, PHAs and glycogen are present in archaea, but TAG and WE are completely absent. It was also confirmed that PHAs are tightly related to halophilic archaea with larger proteome size and higher GC contents, while polyP is mainly present in methanogens. In sum, this study systematically investigates energy storage metabolism in archaea and provides a clear correlation between energy metabolism and the ability to survive in extreme environments. With more genomic editing tools developed for archaea and molecular mechanisms unravelled for energy storage metabolisms (ESMs), there will be a better understanding of the unique lifestyle of archaea in extreme environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Wang
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Medical Informatics, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Qinghua Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiang Wu
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Medical Informatics, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yue Huang
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Medical Informatics, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Michael J Wise
- The Marshall Centre for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, School of Physics, Mathematics and Computing, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Zhanzhong Liu
- Xuzhou Infectious Diseases Hospital, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Medical Informatics, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- School of Medical Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Junfeng Hu
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Medical Informatics, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Computer Science, School of Medical Informatics, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chunying Wang
- Xuzhou Infectious Diseases Hospital, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
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24
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Khaleque HN, Shafique R, Kaksonen AH, Boxall NJ, Watkin EL. Quantitative proteomics using SWATH-MS identifies mechanisms of chloride tolerance in the halophilic acidophile Acidihalobacter prosperus DSM 14174. Res Microbiol 2018; 169:638-648. [DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2018.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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25
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Oetiker N, Norambuena R, Martínez-Bussenius C, Navarro CA, Amaya F, Álvarez SA, Paradela A, Jerez CA. Possible Role of Envelope Components in the Extreme Copper Resistance of the Biomining Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9070347. [PMID: 29996532 PMCID: PMC6070983 DOI: 10.3390/genes9070347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 06/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans resists extremely high concentrations of copper. Strain ATCC 53993 is much more resistant to the metal compared with strain ATCC 23270, possibly due to the presence of a genomic island in the former one. The global response of strain ATCC 53993 to copper was analyzed using iTRAQ (isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation) quantitative proteomics. Sixty-seven proteins changed their levels of synthesis in the presence of the metal. On addition of CusCBA efflux system proteins, increased levels of other envelope proteins, such as a putative periplasmic glucan biosynthesis protein (MdoG) involved in the osmoregulated synthesis of glucans and a putative antigen O polymerase (Wzy), were seen in the presence of copper. The expression of A. ferrooxidansmdoG or wzy genes in a copper sensitive Escherichia coli conferred it a higher metal resistance, suggesting the possible role of these components in copper resistance of A. ferrooxidans. Transcriptional levels of genes wzy, rfaE and wzz also increased in strain ATCC 23270 grown in the presence of copper, but not in strain ATCC 53993. Additionally, in the absence of this metal, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) amounts were 3-fold higher in A. ferrooxidans ATCC 53993 compared with strain 23270. Nevertheless, both strains grown in the presence of copper contained similar LPS quantities, suggesting that strain 23270 synthesizes higher amounts of LPS to resist the metal. On the other hand, several porins diminished their levels in the presence of copper. The data presented here point to an essential role for several envelope components in the extreme copper resistance by this industrially important acidophilic bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nia Oetiker
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 7800003, Chile.
| | - Rodrigo Norambuena
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 7800003, Chile.
| | - Cristóbal Martínez-Bussenius
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 7800003, Chile.
| | - Claudio A Navarro
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 7800003, Chile.
| | - Fernando Amaya
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 7800003, Chile.
| | - Sergio A Álvarez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 7800003, Chile.
| | - Alberto Paradela
- Proteomics Laboratory, National Biotechnology Center, CSIC, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Carlos A Jerez
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 7800003, Chile.
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26
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Marques CR. Extremophilic Microfactories: Applications in Metal and Radionuclide Bioremediation. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1191. [PMID: 29910794 PMCID: PMC5992296 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Metals and radionuclides (M&Rs) are a worldwide concern claiming for resilient, efficient, and sustainable clean-up measures aligned with environmental protection goals and global change constraints. The unique defense mechanisms of extremophilic bacteria and archaea have been proving usefulness towards M&Rs bioremediation. Hence, extremophiles can be viewed as microfactories capable of providing specific and controlled services (i.e., genetic/metabolic mechanisms) and/or products (e.g., biomolecules) for that purpose. However, the natural physiological plasticity of such extremophilic microfactories can be further explored to nourish different hallmarks of M&R bioremediation, which are scantly approached in the literature and were never integrated. Therefore, this review not only briefly describes major valuable extremophilic pathways for M&R bioremediation, as it highlights the advances, challenges and gaps from the interplay of ‘omics’ and biological engineering to improve extremophilic microfactories performance for M&R clean-up. Microfactories’ potentialities are also envisaged to close the M&R bioremediation processes and shift the classical idea of never ‘getting rid’ of M&Rs into making them ‘the belle of the ball’ through bio-recycling and bio-recovering techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catarina R Marques
- Departamento de Biologia and Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
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27
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Inorganic Polyphosphate, Exopolyphosphatase, and Pho84-Like Transporters May Be Involved in Copper Resistance in Metallosphaera sedula DSM 5348 T. ARCHAEA-AN INTERNATIONAL MICROBIOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2018; 2018:5251061. [PMID: 29692683 PMCID: PMC5859850 DOI: 10.1155/2018/5251061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Polyphosphates (PolyP) are linear polymers of orthophosphate residues that have been proposed to participate in metal resistance in bacteria and archaea. In addition of having a CopA/CopB copper efflux system, the thermoacidophilic archaeon Metallosphaera sedula contains electron-dense PolyP-like granules and a putative exopolyphosphatase (PPXMsed, Msed_0891) and four presumed pho84-like phosphate transporters (Msed_0846, Msed_0866, Msed_1094, and Msed_1512) encoded in its genome. In the present report, the existence of a possible PolyP-based copper-resistance mechanism in M. sedula DSM 5348T was evaluated. M. sedula DSM 5348T accumulated high levels of phosphorous in the form of granules, and its growth was affected in the presence of 16 mM copper. PolyP levels were highly reduced after the archaeon was subjected to an 8 mM CuSO4 shift. PPXMsed was purified, and the enzyme was found to hydrolyze PolyP in vitro. Essential residues for catalysis of PPXMsed were E111 and E113 as shown by a site-directed mutagenesis of the implied residues. Furthermore, M. sedula ppx, pho84-like, and copTMA genes were upregulated upon copper exposure, as determined by qRT-PCR analysis. The results obtained support the existence of a PolyP-dependent copper-resistance system that may be of great importance in the adaptation of this thermoacidophilic archaeon to its harsh environment.
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28
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Global effect of the lack of inorganic polyphosphate in the extremophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus: A proteomic approach. J Proteomics 2018; 191:143-152. [PMID: 29501848 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2018.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Revised: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 02/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Inorganic polyphosphates (polyP) are present in all living cells and several important functions have been described for them. They are involved in the response to stress conditions, such as nutrient depletion, oxidative stress and toxic metals amongst others. A recombinant strain of Sulfolobus solfataricus unable to accumulate polyP was designed by the overexpression of its endogenous ppx gene. The overall impact of the lack of polyP on this S. solfataricus polyP (-) strain was analyzed by using quantitative proteomics (isotope-coded protein label, ICPL). Stress-related proteins, such as peroxiredoxins and heat shock proteins, proteins involved in metabolism and several others were produced at higher levels in the ppx expression strain. The polyP deficient strain showed an increased copper sensitivity and an earlier transcriptional up-regulation of copA gene coding for the P-type copper-exporting ATPase. This implies a complementary function of both copper resistance systems. These results strongly suggests that the lack of polyP makes this hyperthermophilic archaeon more sensitive to toxic conditions, such as an exposure to metals or other harmful stimuli, emphasizing the importance of this inorganic phosphate polymers in the adaptations to live in the environmental conditions in which thermoacidophilic archaea thrive. SIGNIFICANCE: Inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) are ubiquitous molecules with many functions in living organisms. Few studies related to these polymers have been made in archaea. The construction of a polyP deficient recombinant strain of Sulfolobus solfataricus allowed the study of the global changes in the proteome of this thermoacidophilic archaeon in the absence of polyP compared with the wild type strain. The results obtained using quantitative proteomics suggest an important participation of polyP in the oxidative stress response of the cells and as having a possible metabolic role in the cell, as previously described in bacteria. The polyP deficient strain also showed an increased copper sensitivity and an earlier transcriptional up-regulation of copA, implying a complementary role of both copper resistance systems.
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29
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Ulloa G, Quezada CP, Araneda M, Escobar B, Fuentes E, Álvarez SA, Castro M, Bruna N, Espinoza-González R, Bravo D, Pérez-Donoso JM. Phosphate Favors the Biosynthesis of CdS Quantum Dots in Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans ATCC 19703 by Improving Metal Uptake and Tolerance. Front Microbiol 2018. [PMID: 29515535 PMCID: PMC5826283 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, we reported the production of Cadmium sulfide (CdS) fluorescent semiconductor nanoparticles (quantum dots, QDs) by acidophilic bacteria of the Acidithiobacillus genus. Here, we report that the addition of inorganic phosphate to Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans ATCC 19703 cultures favors the biosynthesis of CdS QDs at acidic conditions (pH 3.5). The effect of pH, phosphate and cadmium concentrations on QDs biosynthesis was studied by using Response Surface Methodology (RSM), a multivariate technique for analytical optimization scarcely used in microbiological studies to date. To address how phosphate affects intracellular biosynthesis of CdS QDs, the effect of inorganic phosphate on bacterial cadmium-uptake was evaluated. By measuring intracellular levels of cadmium we determined that phosphate influences the capacity of cells to incorporate this metal. A relation between cadmium tolerance and phosphate concentrations was also determined, suggesting that phosphate participates in the adaptation of bacteria to toxic levels of this metal. In addition, QDs-biosynthesis was also favored by the degradation of intracellular polyphosphates. Altogether, our results indicate that phosphate contributes to A. thiooxidans CdS QDs biosynthesis by influencing cadmium uptake and cadmium tolerance. These QDs may also be acting as a nucleation point for QDs formation at acidic pH. This is the first study reporting the effect of phosphates on QDs biosynthesis and describes a new cadmium-response pathway present in A. thiooxidans and most probably in other bacterial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Ulloa
- BioNanotechnology and Microbiology Lab, Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile.,Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carolina P Quezada
- BioNanotechnology and Microbiology Lab, Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mabel Araneda
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Blanca Escobar
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Edwar Fuentes
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica y Analítica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sergio A Álvarez
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Matías Castro
- BioNanotechnology and Microbiology Lab, Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nicolás Bruna
- BioNanotechnology and Microbiology Lab, Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Espinoza-González
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Biotecnología y Materiales, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Denisse Bravo
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Oral, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - José M Pérez-Donoso
- BioNanotechnology and Microbiology Lab, Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
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30
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Farias ME, Rasuk MC, Gallagher KL, Contreras M, Kurth D, Fernandez AB, Poiré D, Novoa F, Visscher PT. Prokaryotic diversity and biogeochemical characteristics of benthic microbial ecosystems at La Brava, a hypersaline lake at Salar de Atacama, Chile. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0186867. [PMID: 29140980 PMCID: PMC5687714 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Benthic microbial ecosystems of Laguna La Brava, Salar de Atacama, a high altitude hypersaline lake, were characterized in terms of bacterial and archaeal diversity, biogeochemistry, (including O2 and sulfide depth profiles and mineralogy), and physicochemical characteristics. La Brava is one of several lakes in the Salar de Atacama where microbial communities are growing in extreme conditions, including high salinity, high solar insolation, and high levels of metals such as lithium, arsenic, magnesium, and calcium. Evaporation creates hypersaline conditions in these lakes and mineral precipitation is a characteristic geomicrobiological feature of these benthic ecosystems. In this study, the La Brava non-lithifying microbial mats, microbialites, and rhizome-associated concretions were compared to each other and their diversity was related to their environmental conditions. All the ecosystems revealed an unusual community where Euryarchaeota, Crenarchaeota, Acetothermia, Firmicutes and Planctomycetes were the most abundant groups, and cyanobacteria, typically an important primary producer in microbial mats, were relatively insignificant or absent. This suggests that other microorganisms, and possibly novel pathways unique to this system, are responsible for carbon fixation. Depth profiles of O2 and sulfide showed active production and respiration. The mineralogy composition was calcium carbonate (as aragonite) and increased from mats to microbialites and rhizome-associated concretions. Halite was also present. Further analyses were performed on representative microbial mats and microbialites by layer. Different taxonomic compositions were observed in the upper layers, with Archaea dominating the non-lithifying mat, and Planctomycetes the microbialite. The bottom layers were similar, with Euryarchaeota, Crenarchaeota and Planctomycetes as dominant phyla. Sequences related to Cyanobacteria were very scarce. These systems may contain previously uncharacterized community metabolisms, some of which may be contributing to net mineral precipitation. Further work on these sites might reveal novel organisms and metabolisms of biotechnological interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Eugenia Farias
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI), CCT-Tucumán, CONICET, Tucumán, Argentina
- * E-mail:
| | - Maria Cecilia Rasuk
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI), CCT-Tucumán, CONICET, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Kimberley L. Gallagher
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, Groton, Connecticut, United States of America
| | | | - Daniel Kurth
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI), CCT-Tucumán, CONICET, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Ana Beatriz Fernandez
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI), CCT-Tucumán, CONICET, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Daniel Poiré
- Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata-Conicet, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Fernando Novoa
- Centro de Ecología Aplicada (CEA), Ñuñoa, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pieter T. Visscher
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, Groton, Connecticut, United States of America
- Australian Centre for Astrobiology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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31
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Matilda SC, Shanthi C. Metal induced changes in trivalent chromium resistantAlcaligenes faecalisVITSIM2. J Basic Microbiol 2017; 57:402-412. [DOI: 10.1002/jobm.201600596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Revised: 11/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Shiny C. Matilda
- School of Bioscience and Technology; VIT University; Vellore-632014 India
| | - Chittibabu Shanthi
- School of Bioscience and Technology; VIT University; Vellore-632014 India
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32
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Biochemistry and Physiology of Heavy Metal Resistance and Accumulation in Euglena. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2017; 979:91-121. [PMID: 28429319 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-54910-1_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Free-living microorganisms may become suitable models for removal of heavy metals from polluted water bodies, sediments, and soils by using and enhancing their metal accumulating abilities. The available research data indicate that protists of the genus Euglena are a highly promising group of microorganisms to be used in bio-remediation of heavy metal-polluted aerobic and anaerobic acidic aquatic environments. This chapter analyzes the variety of biochemical mechanisms evolved in E. gracilis to resist, accumulate and remove heavy metals from the environment, being the most relevant those involving (1) adsorption to the external cell pellicle; (2) intracellular binding by glutathione and glutathione polymers, and their further compartmentalization as heavy metal-complexes into chloroplasts and mitochondria; (3) polyphosphate biosynthesis; and (4) secretion of organic acids. The available data at the transcriptional, kinetic and metabolic levels on these metabolic/cellular processes are herein reviewed and analyzed to provide mechanistic basis for developing genetically engineered Euglena cells that may have a greater removal and accumulating capacity for bioremediation and recycling of heavy metals.
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33
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Martínez-Bussenius C, Navarro CA, Jerez CA. Microbial copper resistance: importance in biohydrometallurgy. Microb Biotechnol 2016; 10:279-295. [PMID: 27790868 PMCID: PMC5328820 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.12450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2016] [Revised: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Industrial biomining has been extensively used for many years to recover valuable metals such as copper, gold, uranium and others. Furthermore, microorganisms involved in these processes can also be used to bioremediate places contaminated with acid and metals. These uses are possible due to the great metal resistance that these extreme acidophilic microorganisms possess. In this review, the most recent findings related to copper resistance mechanisms of bacteria and archaea related to biohydrometallurgy are described. The recent search for novel metal resistance determinants is not only of scientific interest but also of industrial importance, as reflected by the genomic sequencing of microorganisms present in mining operations and the search of those bacteria with extreme metal resistance to improve the extraction processes used by the biomining companies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristóbal Martínez-Bussenius
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Claudio A Navarro
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carlos A Jerez
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Donati ER, Castro C, Urbieta MS. Thermophilic microorganisms in biomining. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2016; 32:179. [PMID: 27628339 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-016-2140-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Biomining is an applied biotechnology for mineral processing and metal extraction from ores and concentrates. This alternative technology for recovering metals involves the hydrometallurgical processes known as bioleaching and biooxidation where the metal is directly solubilized or released from the matrix for further solubilization, respectively. Several commercial applications of biomining can be found around the world to recover mainly copper and gold but also other metals; most of them are operating at temperatures below 40-50 °C using mesophilic and moderate thermophilic microorganisms. Although biomining offers an economically viable and cleaner option, its share of the world´s production of metals has not grown as much as it was expected, mainly considering that due to environmental restrictions in many countries smelting and roasting technologies are being eliminated. The slow rate of biomining processes is for sure the main reason of their poor implementation. In this scenario the use of thermophiles could be advantageous because higher operational temperature would increase the rate of the process and in addition it would eliminate the energy input for cooling the system (bioleaching reactions are exothermic causing a serious temperature increase in bioreactors and inside heaps that adversely affects most of the mesophilic microorganisms) and it would decrease the passivation of mineral surfaces. In the last few years many thermophilic bacteria and archaea have been isolated, characterized, and even used for extracting metals. This paper reviews the current status of biomining using thermophiles, describes the main characteristics of thermophilic biominers and discusses the future for this biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edgardo Rubén Donati
- CINDEFI (CCT LA PLATA-CONICET, UNLP), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas (UNLP), 47 y 115, (1900) La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Camila Castro
- CINDEFI (CCT LA PLATA-CONICET, UNLP), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas (UNLP), 47 y 115, (1900) La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Sofía Urbieta
- CINDEFI (CCT LA PLATA-CONICET, UNLP), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas (UNLP), 47 y 115, (1900) La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Transcriptomes of the Extremely Thermoacidophilic Archaeon Metallosphaera sedula Exposed to Metal "Shock" Reveal Generic and Specific Metal Responses. Appl Environ Microbiol 2016; 82:4613-4627. [PMID: 27208114 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01176-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED The extremely thermoacidophilic archaeon Metallosphaera sedula mobilizes metals by novel membrane-associated oxidase clusters and, consequently, requires metal resistance strategies. This issue was examined by "shocking" M. sedula with representative metals (Co(2+), Cu(2+), Ni(2+), UO2 (2+), Zn(2+)) at inhibitory and subinhibitory levels. Collectively, one-quarter of the genome (554 open reading frames [ORFs]) responded to inhibitory levels, and two-thirds (354) of the ORFs were responsive to a single metal. Cu(2+) (259 ORFs, 106 Cu(2+)-specific ORFs) and Zn(2+) (262 ORFs, 131 Zn(2+)-specific ORFs) triggered the largest responses, followed by UO2 (2+) (187 ORFs, 91 UO2 (2+)-specific ORFs), Ni(2+) (93 ORFs, 25 Ni(2+)-specific ORFs), and Co(2+) (61 ORFs, 1 Co(2+)-specific ORF). While one-third of the metal-responsive ORFs are annotated as encoding hypothetical proteins, metal challenge also impacted ORFs responsible for identifiable processes related to the cell cycle, DNA repair, and oxidative stress. Surprisingly, there were only 30 ORFs that responded to at least four metals, and 10 of these responded to all five metals. This core transcriptome indicated induction of Fe-S cluster assembly (Msed_1656-Msed_1657), tungsten/molybdenum transport (Msed_1780-Msed_1781), and decreased central metabolism. Not surprisingly, a metal-translocating P-type ATPase (Msed_0490) associated with a copper resistance system (Cop) was upregulated in response to Cu(2+) (6-fold) but also in response to UO2 (2+) (4-fold) and Zn(2+) (9-fold). Cu(2+) challenge uniquely induced assimilatory sulfur metabolism for cysteine biosynthesis, suggesting a role for this amino acid in Cu(2+) resistance or issues in sulfur metabolism. The results indicate that M. sedula employs a range of physiological and biochemical responses to metal challenge, many of which are specific to a single metal and involve proteins with yet unassigned or definitive functions. IMPORTANCE The mechanisms by which extremely thermoacidophilic archaea resist and are negatively impacted by metals encountered in their natural environments are important to understand so that technologies such as bioleaching, which leverage microbially based conversion of insoluble metal sulfides to soluble species, can be improved. Transcriptomic analysis of the cellular response to metal challenge provided both global and specific insights into how these novel microorganisms negotiate metal toxicity in natural and technological settings. As genetics tools are further developed and implemented for extreme thermoacidophiles, information about metal toxicity and resistance can be leveraged to create metabolically engineered strains with improved bioleaching characteristics.
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Heavy metal resistance in halophilicBacteriaandArchaea. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2016; 363:fnw146. [DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnw146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
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Martínez-Bussenius C, Navarro CA, Orellana L, Paradela A, Jerez CA. Global response of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 53993 to high concentrations of copper: A quantitative proteomics approach. J Proteomics 2016; 145:37-45. [PMID: 27079981 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2016.03.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2015] [Revised: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is used in industrial bioleaching of minerals to extract valuable metals. A. ferrooxidans strain ATCC 53993 is much more resistant to copper than other strains of this microorganism and it has been proposed that genes present in an exclusive genomic island (GI) of this strain would contribute to its extreme copper tolerance. ICPL (isotope-coded protein labeling) quantitative proteomics was used to study in detail the response of this bacterium to copper. A high overexpression of RND efflux systems and CusF copper chaperones, both present in the genome and the GI of strain ATCC 53993 was found. Also, changes in the levels of the respiratory system proteins such as AcoP and Rus copper binding proteins and several proteins with other predicted functions suggest that numerous metabolic changes are apparently involved in controlling the effects of the toxic metal on this acidophile. SIGNIFICANCE Using quantitative proteomics we overview the adaptation mechanisms that biomining acidophiles use to stand their harsh environment. The overexpression of several genes present in an exclusive genomic island strongly suggests the importance of the proteins coded in this DNA region in the high tolerance of A. ferrooxidans ATCC 53993 to metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristóbal Martínez-Bussenius
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Claudio A Navarro
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Luis Orellana
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alberto Paradela
- Proteomics Laboratory, National Biotechnology Center, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos A Jerez
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Keating C, Chin JP, Hughes D, Manesiotis P, Cysneiros D, Mahony T, Smith CJ, McGrath JW, O'Flaherty V. Biological Phosphorus Removal During High-Rate, Low-Temperature, Anaerobic Digestion of Wastewater. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:226. [PMID: 26973608 PMCID: PMC4776080 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2015] [Accepted: 02/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We report, for the first time, extensive biologically mediated phosphate removal from wastewater during high-rate anaerobic digestion (AD). A hybrid sludge bed/fixed-film (packed pumice stone) reactor was employed for low-temperature (12°C) anaerobic treatment of synthetic sewage wastewater. Successful phosphate removal from the wastewater (up to 78% of influent phosphate) was observed, mediated by biofilms in the reactor. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis revealed the accumulation of elemental phosphorus (∼2%) within the sludge bed and fixed-film biofilms. 4′, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining indicated phosphorus accumulation was biological in nature and mediated through the formation of intracellular inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) granules within these biofilms. DAPI staining further indicated that polyP accumulation was rarely associated with free cells. Efficient and consistent chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was recorded, throughout the 732-day trial, at applied organic loading rates between 0.4 and 1.5 kg COD m-3 d-1 and hydraulic retention times of 8–24 h, while phosphate removal efficiency ranged from 28 to 78% on average per phase. Analysis of protein hydrolysis kinetics and the methanogenic activity profiles of the biomass revealed the development, at 12°C, of active hydrolytic and methanogenic populations. Temporal microbial changes were monitored using Illumina MiSeq analysis of bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA gene sequences. The dominant bacterial phyla present in the biomass at the conclusion of the trial were the Proteobacteria and Firmicutes and the dominant archaeal genus was Methanosaeta. Trichococcus and Flavobacterium populations, previously associated with low temperature protein degradation, developed in the reactor biomass. The presence of previously characterized polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs) such as Rhodocyclus, Chromatiales, Actinobacter, and Acinetobacter was recorded at low numbers. However, it is unknown as yet if these were responsible for the luxury polyP uptake observed in this system. The possibility of efficient phosphate removal and recovery from wastewater during AD would represent a major advance in the scope for widespread application of anaerobic wastewater treatment technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciara Keating
- Microbial Ecology Laboratory, Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway Ireland
| | - Jason P Chin
- School of Biological Sciences and the Institute for Global Food Security, The Queen's University of Belfast Belfast, UK
| | - Dermot Hughes
- Microbial Ecology Laboratory, Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway Ireland
| | - Panagiotis Manesiotis
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The Queen's University of Belfast Belfast, UK
| | - Denise Cysneiros
- Microbial Ecology Laboratory, Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway Ireland
| | - Therese Mahony
- Microbial Ecology Laboratory, Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway Ireland
| | - Cindy J Smith
- Microbial Ecology Laboratory, Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway Ireland
| | - John W McGrath
- School of Biological Sciences and the Institute for Global Food Security, The Queen's University of Belfast Belfast, UK
| | - Vincent O'Flaherty
- Microbial Ecology Laboratory, Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway Ireland
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Developmental accumulation of inorganic polyphosphate affects germination and energetic metabolism in Dictyostelium discoideum. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:996-1001. [PMID: 26755590 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1519440113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) is composed of linear chains of phosphate groups linked by high-energy phosphoanhydride bonds. However, this simple, ubiquitous molecule remains poorly understood. The use of nonstandardized analytical methods has contributed to this lack of clarity. By using improved polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis we were able to visualize polyP extracted from Dictyostelium discoideum. We established that polyP is undetectable in cells lacking the polyphosphate kinase (DdPpk1). Generation of this ppk1 null strain revealed that polyP is important for the general fitness of the amoebae with the mutant strain displaying a substantial growth defect. We discovered an unprecedented accumulation of polyP during the developmental program, with polyP increasing more than 100-fold. The failure of ppk1 spores to accumulate polyP results in a germination defect. These phenotypes are underpinned by the ability of polyP to regulate basic energetic metabolism, demonstrated by a 2.5-fold decrease in the level of ATP in vegetative ppk1. Finally, the lack of polyP during the development of ppk1 mutant cells is partially offset by an increase of both ATP and inositol pyrophosphates, evidence for a model in which there is a functional interplay between inositol pyrophosphates, ATP, and polyP.
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Green DW, Lee JM, Jung HS. Marine Structural Biomaterials in Medical Biomimicry. TISSUE ENGINEERING PART B-REVIEWS 2015; 21:438-50. [PMID: 25905922 DOI: 10.1089/ten.teb.2015.0055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Marine biomaterials display properties, behaviors, and functions that have not been artificially matched in relation to their hierarchical construction, crack-stopping properties, growth adaptation, and energy efficiency. The discovery and understanding of such features that are characteristic of natural biomaterials can be used to manufacture more energy-efficient and lightweight materials. However, a more detailed understanding of the design of natural biomaterials with good performance and the mechanism of their design is required. Far-reaching biomolecular characterization of biomaterials and biostructures from the ocean world is possible with sophisticated analytical methods, such as whole-genome RNA-seq, and de novo transcriptome sequencing and mass spectrophotometry-based sequencing. In combination with detailed material characterization, the elements in newly discovered biomaterials and their properties can be reconstituted into biomimetic or bio-inspired materials. A major aim of harnessing marine biomaterials is their translation into biomimetic counterparts. To achieve full translation, the genome, proteome, and hierarchical material characteristics, and their profiles in space and time, have to be associated to allow for smooth biomimetic translation. In this article, we highlight the novel science of marine biomimicry from a materials perspective. We focus on areas of material design and fabrication that have excelled in marine biological models, such as embedded interfaces, chiral organization, and the use of specialized composite material-on-material designs. Our emphasis is primarily on key materials with high value in healthcare in which we evaluate their future prospects. Marine biomaterials are among the most exquisite and powerful aspects in materials science today.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Green
- 1 Oral Biosciences, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong , Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, SAR .,2 Division in Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Department of Oral Biology, Brain Korea 21 PLUS project, Oral Science Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Dentistry , Seoul, Korea
| | - Jong-Min Lee
- 2 Division in Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Department of Oral Biology, Brain Korea 21 PLUS project, Oral Science Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Dentistry , Seoul, Korea
| | - Han-Sung Jung
- 1 Oral Biosciences, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong , Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, SAR .,2 Division in Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Department of Oral Biology, Brain Korea 21 PLUS project, Oral Science Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Dentistry , Seoul, Korea
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41
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The Confluence of Heavy Metal Biooxidation and Heavy Metal Resistance: Implications for Bioleaching by Extreme Thermoacidophiles. MINERALS 2015. [DOI: 10.3390/min5030397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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42
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Jasso-Chávez R, Santiago-Martínez MG, Lira-Silva E, Pineda E, Zepeda-Rodríguez A, Belmont-Díaz J, Encalada R, Saavedra E, Moreno-Sánchez R. Air-adapted Methanosarcina acetivorans shows high methane production and develops resistance against oxygen stress. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0117331. [PMID: 25706146 PMCID: PMC4338226 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2014] [Accepted: 12/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Methanosarcina acetivorans, considered a strict anaerobic archaeon, was cultured in the presence of 0.4–1% O2 (atmospheric) for at least 6 months to generate air-adapted cells; further, the biochemical mechanisms developed to deal with O2 were characterized. Methane production and protein content, as indicators of cell growth, did not change in air-adapted cells respect to cells cultured under anoxia (control cells). In contrast, growth and methane production significantly decreased in control cells exposed for the first time to O2. Production of reactive oxygen species was 50 times lower in air-adapted cells versus control cells, suggesting enhanced anti-oxidant mechanisms that attenuated the O2 toxicity. In this regard, (i) the transcripts and activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase significantly increased; and (ii) the thiol-molecules (cysteine + coenzyme M-SH + sulfide) and polyphosphate contents were respectively 2 and 5 times higher in air-adapted cells versus anaerobic-control cells. Long-term cultures (18 days) of air-adapted cells exposed to 2% O2 exhibited the ability to form biofilms. These data indicate that M. acetivorans develops multiple mechanisms to contend with O2 and the associated oxidative stress, as also suggested by genome analyses for some methanogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Jasso-Chávez
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City, Mexico
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Elizabeth Lira-Silva
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Erika Pineda
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Javier Belmont-Díaz
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rusely Encalada
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Emma Saavedra
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rafael Moreno-Sánchez
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City, Mexico
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Barahona S, Dorador C, Zhang R, Aguilar P, Sand W, Vera M, Remonsellez F. Isolation and characterization of a novel Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans strain from the Chilean Altiplano: attachment and biofilm formation on pyrite at low temperature. Res Microbiol 2014; 165:782-93. [PMID: 25111023 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2014.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2014] [Revised: 07/28/2014] [Accepted: 07/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Microorganisms are used to aid the extraction of valuable metals from low-grade sulfide ores in mines worldwide, but relatively little is known about this process in cold environments. This study comprises a preliminary analysis of the bacterial diversity of the polyextremophilic acid River Aroma located in the Chilean Altiplano, and revealed that Betaproteobacteria was the most dominant bacterial group (Gallionella-like and Thiobacillus-like). Taxa characteristic of leaching environments, such Acidithiobacillus and Leptospirillum, were detected at low abundances. Also, bacteria not associated with extremely acidic, metal-rich environments were found. After enrichment in iron- and sulfur-oxidizing media, we isolated and identified a novel psychrotolerant Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans strain ACH. This strain can grow using ferrous iron, sulfur, thiosulfate, tetrathionate and pyrite, as energy sources. Optimal growth was observed in the presence of pyrite, where cultures reached a cell number of 6.5 · 10(7) cells mL(-1). Planktonic cells grown with pyrite showed the presence of extracellular polymeric substances (10 °C and 28 °C), and a high density of cells attached to pyrite grains were observed at 10 °C by electron microscopy. The attachment of cells to pyrite coupons and the presence of capsular polysaccharides were visualized by using epifluorescence microscopy, through nucleic acid and lectin staining with Syto(®)9 and TRITC-Con A, respectively. Interestingly, we observed high cell adhesion including the formation of microcolonies within 21 days of incubation at 4 °C, which was correlated with a clear induction of capsular polysaccharides production. Our data suggests that attachment to pyrite is not temperature-dependent in At. ferrivorans ACH. The results of this study highlight the potential of this novel psychrotolerant strain in oxidation and attachment to minerals under low-temperature conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Barahona
- Laboratorio de Tecnología de Membranas, Biotecnología y Medio Ambiente, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Católica del Norte, Avenida Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile; Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Instituto Antofagasta, Centro de Bioinnovación, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Departamento de Biotecnología, Universidad de Antofagasta, Avenida Angamos 0601, Antofagasta, Chile.
| | - Cristina Dorador
- Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Instituto Antofagasta, Centro de Bioinnovación, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Departamento de Biotecnología, Universidad de Antofagasta, Avenida Angamos 0601, Antofagasta, Chile.
| | - Ruiyong Zhang
- Biofilm Centre, University of Dusiburg-Essen, 5, 45141 Essen, Germany.
| | - Pablo Aguilar
- Laboratorio de Tecnología de Membranas, Biotecnología y Medio Ambiente, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Católica del Norte, Avenida Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile; Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Instituto Antofagasta, Centro de Bioinnovación, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Departamento de Biotecnología, Universidad de Antofagasta, Avenida Angamos 0601, Antofagasta, Chile.
| | - Wolfgang Sand
- Biofilm Centre, University of Dusiburg-Essen, 5, 45141 Essen, Germany.
| | - Mario Vera
- Biofilm Centre, University of Dusiburg-Essen, 5, 45141 Essen, Germany.
| | - Francisco Remonsellez
- Laboratorio de Tecnología de Membranas, Biotecnología y Medio Ambiente, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Católica del Norte, Avenida Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile.
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Metal resistance in acidophilic microorganisms and its significance for biotechnologies. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2014; 98:8133-44. [PMID: 25104030 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-014-5982-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2014] [Revised: 07/18/2014] [Accepted: 07/22/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Extremely acidophilic microorganisms have an optimal pH of <3 and are found in all three domains of life. As metals are more soluble at acid pH, acidophiles are often challenged by very high metal concentrations. Acidophiles are metal-tolerant by both intrinsic, passive mechanisms as well as active systems. Passive mechanisms include an internal positive membrane potential that creates a chemiosmotic gradient against which metal cations must move, as well as the formation of metal sulfate complexes reducing the concentration of the free metal ion. Active systems include efflux proteins that pump metals out of the cytoplasm and conversion of the metal to a less toxic form. Acidophiles are exploited in a number of biotechnologies including biomining for sulfide mineral dissolution, biosulfidogenesis to produce sulfide that can selectively precipitate metals from process streams, treatment of acid mine drainage, and bioremediation of acidic metal-contaminated milieux. This review describes how acidophilic microorganisms tolerate extremely high metal concentrations in biotechnological processes and identifies areas of future work that hold promise for improving the efficiency of these applications.
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Almárcegui RJ, Navarro CA, Paradela A, Albar JP, von Bernath D, Jerez CA. Response to copper of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 23270 grown in elemental sulfur. Res Microbiol 2014; 165:761-72. [PMID: 25041950 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2014.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2014] [Accepted: 07/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The response of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 23270 to copper was analyzed in sulfur-grown cells by using quantitative proteomics. Forty-seven proteins showed altered levels in cells grown in the presence of 50 mM copper sulfate. Of these proteins, 24 were up-regulated and 23 down-regulated. As seen before in ferrous iron-grown cells, there was a notorious up-regulation of RND-type Cus systems and different RND-type efflux pumps, indicating that these proteins are very important in copper resistance. Copper also triggered the down-regulation of the major outer membrane porin of A. ferrooxidans in sulfur-grown bacteria, suggesting they respond to the metal by decreasing the influx of cations into the cell. On the contrary, copper in sulfur-grown cells caused an overexpression of putative TadA and TadB proteins known to be essential for biofilm formation in bacteria. Surprisingly, sulfur-grown microorganisms showed increased levels of proteins related with energy generation (rus and petII operons) in the presence of copper. Although rus operon is overexpressed mainly in cells grown in ferrous iron, the up-regulation of rusticyanin in sulfur indicates a possible role for this protein in copper resistance as well. Finally, copper response in A. ferrooxidans appears to be influenced by the substrate being oxidized by the microorganism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo J Almárcegui
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Claudio A Navarro
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Alberto Paradela
- Proteomics Laboratory, National Biotechnology Center, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Juan Pablo Albar
- Proteomics Laboratory, National Biotechnology Center, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Diego von Bernath
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Carlos A Jerez
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
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Almárcegui RJ, Navarro CA, Paradela A, Albar JP, von Bernath D, Jerez CA. New copper resistance determinants in the extremophile acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans: a quantitative proteomic analysis. J Proteome Res 2014; 13:946-60. [PMID: 24380576 DOI: 10.1021/pr4009833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is an extremophilic bacterium used in biomining processes to recover metals. The presence in A. ferrooxidans ATCC 23270 of canonical copper resistance determinants does not entirely explain the extremely high copper concentrations this microorganism is able to stand, suggesting the existence of other efficient copper resistance mechanisms. New possible copper resistance determinants were searched by using 2D-PAGE, real time PCR (qRT-PCR) and quantitative proteomics with isotope-coded protein labeling (ICPL). A total of 594 proteins were identified of which 120 had altered levels in cells grown in the presence of copper. Of this group of proteins, 76 were up-regulated and 44 down-regulated. The up-regulation of RND-type Cus systems and different RND-type efflux pumps was observed in response to copper, suggesting that these proteins may be involved in copper resistance. An overexpression of most of the genes involved in histidine synthesis and several of those annotated as encoding for cysteine production was observed in the presence of copper, suggesting a possible direct role for these metal-binding amino acids in detoxification. Furthermore, the up-regulation of putative periplasmic disulfide isomerases was also seen in the presence of copper, suggesting that they restore copper-damaged disulfide bonds to allow cell survival. Finally, the down-regulation of the major outer membrane porin and some ionic transporters was seen in A. ferrooxidans grown in the presence of copper, indicating a general decrease in the influx of the metal and other cations into the cell. Thus, A. ferrooxidans most likely uses additional copper resistance strategies in which cell envelope proteins are key components. This knowledge will not only help to understand the mechanism of copper resistance in this extreme acidophile but may help also to select the best fit members of the biomining community to attain more efficient industrial metal leaching processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo J Almárcegui
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile , Santiago Casilla 653 Chile
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Lira-Silva E, Santiago-Martínez MG, García-Contreras R, Zepeda-Rodríguez A, Marín-Hernández A, Moreno-Sánchez R, Jasso-Chávez R. Cd2+ resistance mechanisms in Methanosarcina acetivorans involve the increase in the coenzyme M content and induction of biofilm synthesis. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2013; 5:799-808. [PMID: 24249288 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2013] [Accepted: 06/22/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
To assess what defence mechanisms are triggered by Cd(2+) stress in Methanosarcina acetivorans, cells were cultured at different cadmium concentrations. In the presence of 100 μM CdCl2, the intracellular contents of cysteine, sulfide and coenzyme M increased, respectively, 8, 27 and 7 times versus control. Cells incubated for 24 h in medium with less cysteine and sulfide removed up to 80% of Cd(2+) added, whereas their cysteine and coenzyme M contents increased 160 and 84 times respectively. Cadmium accumulation (5.2 μmol/10-15 mg protein) resulted in an increase in methane synthesis of 4.5 times in cells grown on acetate. Total phosphate also increased under high (0.5 mM) Cd(2+) stress. On the other hand, cells preadapted to 54 μM CdCl2 and further exposed to > 0.63 mM CdCl2 developed the formation of a biofilm with an extracellular matrix constituted by carbohydrates, DNA and proteins. Biofilm cells were able to synthesize methane. The data suggested that increased intracellular contents of thiol molecules and total phosphate, and biofilm formation, are all involved in the cadmium resistance mechanisms in this marine archaeon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Lira-Silva
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología, Mexico City, Mexico
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Progress in bioleaching: fundamentals and mechanisms of bacterial metal sulfide oxidation—part A. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2013; 97:7529-41. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-013-4954-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 309] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2013] [Revised: 04/23/2013] [Accepted: 04/24/2013] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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Molecular characterization of copper and cadmium resistance determinants in the biomining thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus metallicus. ARCHAEA-AN INTERNATIONAL MICROBIOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2013; 2013:289236. [PMID: 23509422 PMCID: PMC3595675 DOI: 10.1155/2013/289236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2012] [Accepted: 01/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Sulfolobus metallicus is a thermoacidophilic crenarchaeon used in high-temperature bioleaching processes that is able to grow under stressing conditions such as high concentrations of heavy metals. Nevertheless, the genetic and biochemical mechanisms responsible for heavy metal resistance in S. metallicus remain uncharacterized. Proteomic analysis of S. metallicus cells exposed to 100 mM Cu revealed that 18 out of 30 upregulated proteins are related to the production and conversion of energy, amino acids biosynthesis, and stress responses. Ten of these last proteins were also up-regulated in S. metallicus treated in the presence of 1 mM Cd suggesting that at least in part, a common general response to these two heavy metals. The S. metallicus genome contained two complete cop gene clusters, each encoding a metallochaperone (CopM), a Cu-exporting ATPase (CopA), and a transcriptional regulator (CopT). Transcriptional expression analysis revealed that copM and copA from each cop gene cluster were cotranscribed and their transcript levels increased when S. metallicus was grown either in the presence of Cu or using chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) as oxidizable substrate. This study shows for the first time the presence of a duplicated version of the cop gene cluster in Archaea and characterizes some of the Cu and Cd resistance determinants in a thermophilic archaeon employed for industrial biomining.
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