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Li W, Feng Q, Li Z, Jin T, Zhang Y, Southam G. Inhibition of iron oxidation in Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans by low-molecular-weight organic acids: Evaluation of performance and elucidation of mechanisms. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 927:171919. [PMID: 38554963 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
The catalytic role of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (A. ferrooxidans) in iron biooxidation is pivotal in the formation of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD), which poses a significant threat to the environment. To control AMD generation, treatments with low-molecular-weight organic acids are being studied, yet their exact mechanisms are unclear. In this study, AMD materials, organic acids, and molecular methods were employed to gain a deeper understanding of the inhibitory effects of low-molecular-weight organic acids on the biooxidation of iron by A. ferrooxidans. The inhibition experiments of A. ferrooxidans on the oxidation of Fe2+ showed that to attain a 90 % inhibition efficacy within 72 h, the minimum concentrations required for formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, and lactic acid are 0.5, 6, 4, and 10 mmol/L, respectively. Bacterial imaging illustrated the detrimental effects of these organic acids on the cell envelope structure. This includes severe damage to the outer membrane, particularly from formic and acetic acids, which also caused cell wall damage. Coupled with alterations in the types and quantities of protein, carbohydrate, and nucleic acid content in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), indicate the mechanisms underlying these inhibitory treatments. Transcriptomic analysis revealed interference of these organic acids with crucial metabolic pathways, particularly those related to energy metabolism. These findings establish a comprehensive theoretical basis for understanding the inhibition of A. ferrooxidans' biooxidation by low-molecular-weight organic acids, offering a novel opportunity to effectively mitigate the generation of AMD at its source.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbo Li
- School of Environment and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China; Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education for Mine Ecological Restoration, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China; School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Qiyan Feng
- School of Environment and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China; Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education for Mine Ecological Restoration, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China.
| | - Ze Li
- School of Environment and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China; Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education for Mine Ecological Restoration, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
| | - Tao Jin
- School of Environment and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China; Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education for Mine Ecological Restoration, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
| | - Yun Zhang
- School of Environment and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China; Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education for Mine Ecological Restoration, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
| | - Gordon Southam
- School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia; The Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
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Bernardelli CE, Colman D, Donati ER, Urbieta MS. The First Description of the Microbial Diversity in the Amarillo River (La Rioja, Argentina), a Natural Extreme Environment Where the Whole Microbial Community Paints the Landscape Yellow. Microorganisms 2024; 12:235. [PMID: 38399638 PMCID: PMC10892261 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12020235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The Amarillo River in Famatina, La Rioja, Argentina, is a natural acidic river with distinctive yellow-ochreous iron precipitates along its course. While mining activities have occurred in the area, the river's natural acidity is influenced by environmental factors beyond mineralogy, where microbial species have a crucial role. Although iron-oxidising bacteria have been identified, a comprehensive analysis of the entire microbial community in this extreme environment has not yet been conducted. In this study, we employ high-throughput sequencing to explore the bacterial and fungal diversity in the Amarillo River and Cueva de Pérez terraces, considered prehistoric analogues of the current river basin. Fe(II)-enrichment cultures mimicking different environmental conditions of the river were also analysed to better understand the roles of prokaryotes and fungi in iron oxidation processes. Additionally, we investigate the ecological relationships between bacteria and fungi using co-occurrence and network analysis. Our findings reveal a diverse bacterial community in the river and terraces, including uncultured species affiliated with Acidimicrobiia, part of an uncharacterised universal microbial acidic diversity. Acidophiles such as Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans, the main iron oxidiser of the system, and Acidiphilium, which is unable to catalyse Fe(II) oxidation but has a great metabolic flexibility,, are part of the core of the microbial community, showing significant involvement in intraspecies interactions. Alicyclobacillus, which is the main Fe(II) oxidiser in the enrichment culture at 30 °C and is detected all over the system, highlights its flexibility towards the iron cycle. The prevalence of key microorganisms in both rivers and terraces implies their enduring contribution to the iron cycle as well as in shaping the iconic yellow landscape of the Amarillo River. In conclusion, this study enhances our understanding of microbial involvement in iron mineral precipitation, emphasising the collaborative efforts of bacteria and fungi as fundamental geological agents in the Amarillo River.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - María Sofía Urbieta
- Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales (CINDEFI), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), 50 N 288, Calle, La Plata 1900, Buenos Aires, Argentina; (C.E.B.); (D.C.); (E.R.D.)
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3
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Escuti C, Véliz R, Acosta M, Echeverría-Vega A, Araya G, Ayma D, Demergasso C. The dynamics of two iron-oxidizing Acidithiobacillus strains in industrial copper sulfide heap-leaching. Res Microbiol 2024; 175:104168. [PMID: 37995889 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2023.104168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Several species within the Acidithiobacillus (At.) genus can derive energy from oxidizing ferrous iron and sulfur. Two bacterial strains according to their 16S rRNA gene sequences closely related to At. ferridurans and At. ferrivorans were obtained from the industrial sulfide heap leaching process at Minera Escondida (SLH), named D2 and DM, respectively. We applied statistical and data mining analyses to the abundance of At. ferridurans D2 and At. ferrivorans DM taxa in the industrial process over 16 years of operation. In addition, we performed phylogenetic analysis and genome comparison of the type strains, as well as culturing approaches with representative isolates of At. ferridurans D2 and At. ferrivorans DM taxa to understand the differential phenotypic features. Throughout the 16 years, two main operational stages were identified based on the D2 and DM taxa predominance in solution samples. The better suitability of At. ferrivorans DM to grow in a wide range of temperature and in micro-oxic environments, and to oxidize S by reducing Fe(III) revealed through culturing approaches can, in a way, explain the taxa distribution in both operational stages. The isolate At. ferridurans D2 could be considered as a specialist in aerobic sulfur oxidation, while isolate At. ferrivorans DM is a specialist in iron oxidation. In addition, the results from ore samples occasionally obtained from the industrial heap suggest that At. ferridurans D2 abundance was more related to its abundance in the solution samples than At. ferrivorans DM was. This dynamic coincides with previously obtained results in in-lab cell-mineral attaching experiments with both strains. This information increases our knowledge the ecophysiology of Acidithiobacillus and of the importance of diverse physiological traits at industrial bioleaching scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Escuti
- Centro de Biotecnología, Universidad Católica del Norte, Av. Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Roberto Véliz
- Centro de Biotecnología, Universidad Católica del Norte, Av. Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Mauricio Acosta
- Centro de Biotecnología, Universidad Católica del Norte, Av. Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile.
| | - Alex Echeverría-Vega
- Centro de Investigación en Estudios Avanzados del Maule (CIEAM), Universidad Católica del Maule, Av. San Miguel 3605, Talca, Chile
| | - Gonzalo Araya
- Département de Chimie Analytique, Université Claude Bernard Lyon1, 43, boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Diego Ayma
- Departamento de Matemáticas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica del Norte, Av. Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Cecilia Demergasso
- Centro de Biotecnología, Universidad Católica del Norte, Av. Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile.
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Wu P, Yuan Q, Cheng T, Han Y, Zhao W, Liao X, Wang L, Cai J, He Q, Guo Y, Zhang X, Lu F, Wang J, Ma H, Huang Z. Genome sequencing and metabolic network reconstruction of a novel sulfur-oxidizing bacterium Acidithiobacillus Ameehan. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1277847. [PMID: 38053556 PMCID: PMC10694236 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1277847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria play a crucial role in various processes, including mine bioleaching, biodesulfurization, and treatment of sulfur-containing wastewater. Nevertheless, the pathway involved in sulfur oxidation is highly intricate, making it complete comprehension a formidable and protracted undertaking. The mechanisms of sulfur oxidation within the Acidithiobacillus genus, along with the process of energy production, remain areas that necessitate further research and elucidation. In this study, a novel strain of sulfur-oxidizing bacterium, Acidithiobacillus Ameehan, was isolated. Several physiological characteristics of the strain Ameehan were verified and its complete genome sequence was presented in the study. Besides, the first genome-scale metabolic network model (AMEE_WP1377) was reconstructed for Acidithiobacillus Ameehan to gain a comprehensive understanding of the metabolic capacity of the strain.The characteristics of Acidithiobacillus Ameehan included morphological size and an optimal growth temperature range of 37-45°C, as well as an optimal growth pH range of pH 2.0-8.0. The microbe was found to be capable of growth when sulfur and K2O6S4 were supplied as the energy source and electron donor for CO2 fixation. Conversely, it could not utilize Na2S2O3, FeS2, and FeSO4·7H2O as the energy source or electron donor for CO2 fixation, nor could it grow using glucose or yeast extract as a carbon source. Genome annotation revealed that the strain Ameehan possessed a series of sulfur oxidizing genes that enabled it to oxidize elemental sulfur or various reduced inorganic sulfur compounds (RISCs). In addition, the bacterium also possessed carbon fixing genes involved in the incomplete Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) cycle. However, the bacterium lacked the ability to oxidize iron and fix nitrogen. By implementing a constraint-based flux analysis to predict cellular growth in the presence of 71 carbon sources, 88.7% agreement with experimental Biolog data was observed. Five sulfur oxidation pathways were discovered through model simulations. The optimal sulfur oxidation pathway had the highest ATP production rate of 14.81 mmol/gDW/h, NADH/NADPH production rate of 5.76 mmol/gDW/h, consumed 1.575 mmol/gDW/h of CO2, and 1.5 mmol/gDW/h of sulfur. Our findings provide a comprehensive outlook on the most effective cellular metabolic pathways implicated in sulfur oxidation within Acidithiobacillus Ameehan. It suggests that the OMP (outer-membrane proteins) and SQR enzymes (sulfide: quinone oxidoreductase) have a significant impact on the energy production efficiency of sulfur oxidation, which could have potential biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Wu
- College of Bioengineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory for Industrial Biological Systems and Bioprocessing Engineering, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Qianqian Yuan
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
- Biodesign Center, Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Tingting Cheng
- College of Bioengineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory for Industrial Biological Systems and Bioprocessing Engineering, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Yifan Han
- Tianjin Key Laboratory for Industrial Biological Systems and Bioprocessing Engineering, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Wei Zhao
- Tianjin Key Laboratory for Industrial Biological Systems and Bioprocessing Engineering, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaoping Liao
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
- Biodesign Center, Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Lu Wang
- College of Bioengineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory for Industrial Biological Systems and Bioprocessing Engineering, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Jingyi Cai
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
- Biodesign Center, Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Qianqian He
- Tianjin Key Laboratory for Industrial Biological Systems and Bioprocessing Engineering, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Ying Guo
- Tianjin Key Laboratory for Industrial Biological Systems and Bioprocessing Engineering, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaoxia Zhang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory for Industrial Biological Systems and Bioprocessing Engineering, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Fuping Lu
- College of Bioengineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Jingjing Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory for Industrial Biological Systems and Bioprocessing Engineering, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Hongwu Ma
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
- Biodesign Center, Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhiyong Huang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory for Industrial Biological Systems and Bioprocessing Engineering, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
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5
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Jones S, Santini JM. Mechanisms of bioleaching: iron and sulfur oxidation by acidophilic microorganisms. Essays Biochem 2023; 67:685-699. [PMID: 37449416 PMCID: PMC10427800 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220257] [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: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Bioleaching offers a low-input method of extracting valuable metals from sulfide minerals, which works by exploiting the sulfur and iron metabolisms of microorganisms to break down the ore. Bioleaching microbes generate energy by oxidising iron and/or sulfur, consequently generating oxidants that attack sulfide mineral surfaces, releasing target metals. As sulfuric acid is generated during the process, bioleaching organisms are typically acidophiles, and indeed the technique is based on natural processes that occur at acid mine drainage sites. While the overall concept of bioleaching appears straightforward, a series of enzymes is required to mediate the complex sulfur oxidation process. This review explores the mechanisms underlying bioleaching, summarising current knowledge on the enzymes driving microbial sulfur and iron oxidation in acidophiles. Up-to-date models are provided of the two mineral-defined pathways of sulfide mineral bioleaching: the thiosulfate and the polysulfide pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Jones
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Division of Biosciences, University College London, WC1E 6BT, U.K
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Division of Biosciences, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX, U.K
| | - Joanne M Santini
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Division of Biosciences, University College London, WC1E 6BT, U.K
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6
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Dopson M, González-Rosales C, Holmes DS, Mykytczuk N. Eurypsychrophilic acidophiles: From (meta)genomes to low-temperature biotechnologies. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1149903. [PMID: 37007468 PMCID: PMC10050440 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1149903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Low temperature and acidic environments encompass natural milieus such as acid rock drainage in Antarctica and anthropogenic sites including drained sulfidic sediments in Scandinavia. The microorganisms inhabiting these environments include polyextremophiles that are both extreme acidophiles (defined as having an optimum growth pH < 3), and eurypsychrophiles that grow at low temperatures down to approximately 4°C but have an optimum temperature for growth above 15°C. Eurypsychrophilic acidophiles have important roles in natural biogeochemical cycling on earth and potentially on other planetary bodies and moons along with biotechnological applications in, for instance, low-temperature metal dissolution from metal sulfides. Five low-temperature acidophiles are characterized, namely, Acidithiobacillus ferriphilus, Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, “Ferrovum myxofaciens,” and Alicyclobacillus disulfidooxidans, and their characteristics are reviewed. Our understanding of characterized and environmental eurypsychrophilic acidophiles has been accelerated by the application of “omics” techniques that have aided in revealing adaptations to low pH and temperature that can be synergistic, while other adaptations are potentially antagonistic. The lack of known acidophiles that exclusively grow below 15°C may be due to the antagonistic nature of adaptations in this polyextremophile. In conclusion, this review summarizes the knowledge of eurypsychrophilic acidophiles and places the information in evolutionary, environmental, biotechnological, and exobiology perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Dopson
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems (EEMiS), Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
- *Correspondence: Mark Dopson
| | - Carolina González-Rosales
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems (EEMiS), Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
- Center for Bioinformatics and Genome Biology, Centro Ciencia & Vida, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile
| | - David S. Holmes
- Center for Bioinformatics and Genome Biology, Centro Ciencia & Vida, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile
- Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastian, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nadia Mykytczuk
- Goodman School of Mines, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada
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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: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [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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8
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Chen J, Liu Y, Diep P, Mahadevan R. Genetic engineering of extremely acidophilic Acidithiobacillus species for biomining: Progress and perspectives. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 438:129456. [PMID: 35777147 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
With global demands for mineral resources increasing and ore grades decreasing, microorganisms have been increasingly deployed in biomining applications to recover valuable metals particularly from normally considered waste, such as low-grade ores and used consumer electronics. Acidithiobacillus are a genus of chemolithoautotrophic extreme acidophiles that are commonly found in mining process waters and acid mine drainage, which have been reported in several studies to aid in metal recovery from bioremediation of metal-contaminated sites. Compared to conventional mineral processing technologies, biomining is often cited as a more sustainable and environmentally friendly process, but long leaching cycles and low extraction efficiency are main disadvantages that have hampered its industrial applications. Genetic engineering is a powerful technology that can be used to enhance the performance of microorganisms, such as Acidithiobacillus species. In this review, we compile existing data on Acidithiobacillus species' physiological traits and genomic characteristics, progresses in developing genetic tools to engineer them: plasmids, shutter vectors, transformation methods, selection markers, promoters and reporter systems developed, and genome editing techniques. We further propose genetic engineering strategies for enhancing biomining efficiency of Acidithiobacillus species and provide our perspectives on their future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinjin Chen
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Yilan Liu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Patrick Diep
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Radhakrishnan Mahadevan
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
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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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10
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Arsenopyrite Dissolution and Bioscorodite Precipitation by Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans ACH under Mesophilic Condition. MINERALS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/min12050520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Arsenopyrite is the most abundant arsenic-bearing sulfide mineral in the lithosphere, usually associated with sulfide gold ores. The recovery of this highly valuable metal is associated with the release of large quantities of soluble arsenic. One way to mitigate the effects of high concentrations of arsenic in solution is to immobilize it as scorodite precipitate, a more stable form. Hence, we addressed the scorodite formation capacity (under mesophilic conditions) of psychrotolerant Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans ACH isolated from the Chilean Altiplano. Bio-oxidation assays were performed with 1% arsenopyrite concentrate as unique energy source and produced solids were evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and QEMSCAN analysis. Interestingly, the results evidenced scorodite generation as the main sub-product after incubation for 15 days, due to the presence of the microorganism. Moreover, the QEMSCAN analysis support the XRD, detecting a 3.5% increase in scorodite generation by ACH strain and a 18.7% decrease in arsenopyrite matrix, implying an active oxidation. Finally, we presented the first record of arsenopyrite oxidation capacity and the stable scorodite production ability by a member of A. ferrivorans species under mesophilic conditions.
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González-Rosales C, Vergara E, Dopson M, Valdés JH, Holmes DS. Integrative Genomics Sheds Light on Evolutionary Forces Shaping the Acidithiobacillia Class Acidophilic Lifestyle. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:822229. [PMID: 35242113 PMCID: PMC8886135 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.822229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Extreme acidophiles thrive in environments rich in protons (pH values <3) and often high levels of dissolved heavy metals. They are distributed across the three domains of the Tree of Life including members of the Proteobacteria. The Acidithiobacillia class is formed by the neutrophilic genus Thermithiobacillus along with the extremely acidophilic genera Fervidacidithiobacillus, Igneacidithiobacillus, Ambacidithiobacillus, and Acidithiobacillus. Phylogenomic reconstruction revealed a division in the Acidithiobacillia class correlating with the different pH optima that suggested that the acidophilic genera evolved from an ancestral neutrophile within the Acidithiobacillia. Genes and mechanisms denominated as "first line of defense" were key to explaining the Acidithiobacillia acidophilic lifestyle including preventing proton influx that allows the cell to maintain a near-neutral cytoplasmic pH and differ from the neutrophilic Acidithiobacillia ancestors that lacked these systems. Additional differences between the neutrophilic and acidophilic Acidithiobacillia included the higher number of gene copies in the acidophilic genera coding for "second line of defense" systems that neutralize and/or expel protons from cell. Gain of genes such as hopanoid biosynthesis involved in membrane stabilization at low pH and the functional redundancy for generating an internal positive membrane potential revealed the transition from neutrophilic properties to a new acidophilic lifestyle by shaping the Acidithiobacillaceae genomic structure. The presence of a pool of accessory genes with functional redundancy provides the opportunity to "hedge bet" in rapidly changing acidic environments. Although a core of mechanisms for acid resistance was inherited vertically from an inferred neutrophilic ancestor, the majority of mechanisms, especially those potentially involved in resistance to extremely low pH, were obtained from other extreme acidophiles by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina González-Rosales
- Center for Bioinformatics and Genome Biology, Centro Ciencia & Vida, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
| | - Eva Vergara
- Center for Bioinformatics and Genome Biology, Centro Ciencia & Vida, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mark Dopson
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Jorge H. Valdés
- Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - David S. Holmes
- Center for Bioinformatics and Genome Biology, Centro Ciencia & Vida, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile
- Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastián, Santiago, Chile
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12
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Zhao D, Yang J, Liu T, Lu D, Zhang S, Yan L, Ni Y. Complete Genome Sequence Analysis of Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans XJFY6S-08 Reveals Environmental Adaptation to Alpine Acid Mine Drainage. Curr Microbiol 2021; 78:1488-1498. [PMID: 33660044 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-021-02423-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The present work reported the complete genome sequence analysis of Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans strain XJFY6S-08 isolated from acid mine drainage in Fuyun copper mine in Xinjiang, China, revealing the potential for extreme environmental adaptation. The strain XJFY6S-08 possesses 3,161,380 bp in length and 56.55% GC content. Genomic analysis revealed that this strain harbors metal-tolerant genes coding for the mer operon, arsRBC operon and a variety of metal assimilation and efflux proteins. Genes coding for K+/H+ transporting ATPase and the Na+/H+ antiporter gene nhaA for pH adaptation were identified. The presence of genes associated with various DNA repair enzymes and the synthesis of mycosporine-like amino acids precursor support the UVR resistance mechanisms. The genes related to membrane modifications (ppiBCD, slyD, surA, cfa and fabF) and resistance-nodulation-division (RND) family can play a crucial role in organic solvents tolerance. The strain XJFY6S-08 resists low-temperature conditions by a set of mechanisms such as changes of RNA metabolism, transmembrane transport, compatible solutes and transport, biofilm and EPS formation, chemotaxis and motility and ROS scavenging. These findings can provide important information for further studying the comparative genome and environmental adaptation mechanism of A. ferrivorans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Zhao
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Recycling of Argo-Waste in Cold Region, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, 163319, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian Yang
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Recycling of Argo-Waste in Cold Region, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, 163319, People's Republic of China
| | - Tao Liu
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Recycling of Argo-Waste in Cold Region, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, 163319, People's Republic of China
| | - Dong Lu
- Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuang Zhang
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Recycling of Argo-Waste in Cold Region, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, 163319, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Yan
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Recycling of Argo-Waste in Cold Region, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, 163319, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yongqing Ni
- School of Food Science, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832003, People's Republic of China.
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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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14
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Dissolution and Passivation of Chalcopyrite during Bioleaching by Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans at Low Temperature. MINERALS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/min9060332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Our knowledge on the dissolution and passivation mechanisms of chalcopyrite during bioleaching at low temperature has been limited to date. In this study, an Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans strain with high tolerance to heavy metals and UV radiation was used for chalcopyrite bioleaching. At 6 °C, no apparent precipitate was detected on the mineral surface after bioleaching using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that the ore residue contained only chalcopyrite and quartz. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed that the content of S0 on the mineral surface remained low and the ratio of SO42− decreased from 46.7% to 20.9%, but the amount of Sn2− increased from 10.4% to 21.4% after bioleaching. Expression of five critical iron- and sulfur-oxidation genes during bioleaching was analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR. The gene rusA had higher expression in the mid-log phase than in the stationary phase but hdrA and cyoC1 showed an opposite trend. All genes had higher expression at 6 °C than at 28 °C, so as to compensate for the decline in the enzyme activities. The study revealed that polysulfide was the most plausible passivating substance at 6 °C, and the strain can maintain the iron- and sulfur-oxidation activities during low-temperature bioleaching.
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Wang R, Lin JQ, Liu XM, Pang X, Zhang CJ, Yang CL, Gao XY, Lin CM, Li YQ, Li Y, Lin JQ, Chen LX. Sulfur Oxidation in the Acidophilic Autotrophic Acidithiobacillus spp. Front Microbiol 2019; 9:3290. [PMID: 30687275 PMCID: PMC6335251 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.03290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sulfur oxidation is an essential component of the earth's sulfur cycle. Acidithiobacillus spp. can oxidize various reduced inorganic sulfur compounds (RISCs) with high efficiency to obtain electrons for their autotrophic growth. Strains in this genus have been widely applied in bioleaching and biological desulfurization. Diverse sulfur-metabolic pathways and corresponding regulatory systems have been discovered in these acidophilic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. The sulfur-metabolic enzymes in Acidithiobacillus spp. can be categorized as elemental sulfur oxidation enzymes (sulfur dioxygenase, sulfur oxygenase reductase, and Hdr-like complex), enzymes in thiosulfate oxidation pathways (tetrathionate intermediate thiosulfate oxidation (S4I) pathway, the sulfur oxidizing enzyme (Sox) system and thiosulfate dehydrogenase), sulfide oxidation enzymes (sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase) and sulfite oxidation pathways/enzymes. The two-component systems (TCSs) are the typical regulation elements for periplasmic thiosulfate metabolism in these autotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. Examples are RsrS/RsrR responsible for S4I pathway regulation and TspS/TspR for Sox system regulation. The proposal of sulfur metabolic and regulatory models provide new insights and overall understanding of the sulfur-metabolic processes in Acidithiobacillus spp. The future research directions and existing barriers in the bacterial sulfur metabolism are also emphasized here and the breakthroughs in these areas will accelerate the research on the sulfur oxidation in Acidithiobacillus spp. and other sulfur oxidizers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jian-Qun Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Lin-Xu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
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16
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Assessment of Bioleaching Microbial Community Structure and Function Based on Next-Generation Sequencing Technologies. MINERALS 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/min8120596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
It is widely known that bioleaching microorganisms have to cope with the complex extreme environment in which microbial ecology relating to community structure and function varies across environmental types. However, analyses of microbial ecology of bioleaching bacteria is still a challenge. To address this challenge, numerous technologies have been developed. In recent years, high-throughput sequencing technologies enabling comprehensive sequencing analysis of cellular RNA and DNA within the reach of most laboratories have been added to the toolbox of microbial ecology. The next-generation sequencing technology allowing processing DNA sequences can produce available draft genomic sequences of more bioleaching bacteria, which provides the opportunity to predict models of genetic and metabolic potential of bioleaching bacteria and ultimately deepens our understanding of bioleaching microorganism. High-throughput sequencing that focuses on targeted phylogenetic marker 16S rRNA has been effectively applied to characterize the community diversity in an ore leaching environment. RNA-seq, another application of high-throughput sequencing to profile RNA, can be for both mapping and quantifying transcriptome and has demonstrated a high efficiency in quantifying the changing expression level of each transcript under different conditions. It has been demonstrated as a powerful tool for dissecting the relationship between genotype and phenotype, leading to interpreting functional elements of the genome and revealing molecular mechanisms of adaption. This review aims to describe the high-throughput sequencing approach for bioleaching environmental microorganisms, particularly focusing on its application associated with challenges.
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Ponomareva AL, Buzoleva LS, Bogatyrenko EA. Abiotic Environmental Factors Affecting the Formation of Microbial Biofilms. BIOL BULL+ 2018. [DOI: 10.1134/s106235901805014x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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18
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Fan W, Peng Y, Meng Y, Zhang W, Zhu N, Wang J, Guo C, Li J, Du H, Dang Z. Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Reduced Inorganic Sulfur Compound Oxidation Mechanism in Acidithiobacillus ferriphilus. Microbiology (Reading) 2018. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026261718040070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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Zhang X, Liu Z, Wei G, Yang F, Liu X. In Silico Genome-Wide Analysis Reveals the Potential Links Between Core Genome of Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and Its Autotrophic Lifestyle. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1255. [PMID: 29937764 PMCID: PMC6002666 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The coinage “pan-genome” was first introduced dating back to 2005, and was used to elaborate the entire gene repertoire of any given species. Core genome consists of genes shared by all bacterial strains studied and is considered to encode essential functions associated with species’ basic biology and phenotypes, yet its relatedness with bacterial lifestyle of the species remains elusive. We performed the pan-genome analysis of sulfur-oxidizing acidophile Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans as a case study to highlight species’ core genome and its relevance with autotrophic lifestyle of bacterial species. The mathematical modeling based on bacterial genomes of A. thiooxidans species, including a novel strain ZBY isolated from Zambian copper mine plus eight other recognized strains, was attempted to extrapolate the expansion of its pan-genome, suggesting that A. thiooxidans pan-genome is closed. Further investigation revealed a common set of genes, many of which were assigned to metabolic profiles, notably with respect to energy metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and carbohydrate metabolism. The predicted metabolic profiles of A. thiooxidans were characterized by the fixation of inorganic carbon, assimilation of nitrogen compounds, and aerobic oxidation of various sulfur species. Notably, several hydrogenase (H2ase)-like genes dispersed in core genome might represent the novel classes due to the potential functional disparities, despite being closely related homologous genes that code for H2ase. Overall, the findings shed light on the distinguishing features of A. thiooxidans genomes on a global scale, and extend the understanding of its conserved core genome pertaining to autotrophic lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Zhang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhenghua Liu
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Guanyun Wei
- College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fei Yang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xueduan Liu
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China
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Ai C, Liang Y, Miao B, Chen M, Zeng W, Qiu G. Identification and Analysis of a Novel Gene Cluster Involves in Fe 2+ Oxidation in Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 23270, a Typical Biomining Acidophile. Curr Microbiol 2018; 75:818-826. [PMID: 29464360 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-018-1453-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Iron-oxidizing Acidithiobacillus spp. are applied worldwide in biomining industry to extract metals from sulfide minerals. They derive energy for survival through Fe2+ oxidation and generate Fe3+ for the dissolution of sulfide minerals. However, molecular mechanisms of their iron oxidation still remain elusive. A novel two-cytochrome-encoding gene cluster (named tce gene cluster) encoding a high-molecular-weight cytochrome c (AFE_1428) and a c4-type cytochrome c552 (AFE_1429) in A. ferrooxidans ATCC 23270 was first identified in this study. Bioinformatic analysis together with transcriptional study showed that AFE_1428 and AFE_1429 were the corresponding paralog of Cyc2 (AFE_3153) and Cyc1 (AFE_3152) which were encoded by the extensively studied rus operon and had been proven involving in ferrous iron oxidation. Both AFE_1428 and AFE_1429 contained signal peptide and the classic heme-binding motif(s) as their corresponding paralog. The modeled structure of AFE_1429 showed high resemblance to Cyc1. AFE_1428 and AFE_1429 were preferentially transcribed as their corresponding paralogs in the presence of ferrous iron as sole energy source as compared with sulfur. The tce gene cluster is highly conserved in the genomes of four phylogenetic-related A. ferrooxidans strains that were originally isolated from different sites separated with huge geographical distance, which further implies the importance of this gene cluster. Collectively, AFE_1428 and AFE_1429 involve in Fe2+ oxidation like their corresponding paralog by integrating with the metalloproteins encoded by rus operon. This study provides novel insights into the Fe2+ oxidation mechanism in Fe2+-oxidizing A. ferrooxidans ssp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenbing Ai
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| | - Yuting Liang
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| | - Bo Miao
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| | - Miao Chen
- CSIRO Process Science and Engineering, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Weimin Zeng
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, Hunan, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
- CSIRO Process Science and Engineering, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
| | - Guanzhou Qiu
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, Hunan, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
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Tran TTT, Mangenot S, Magdelenat G, Payen E, Rouy Z, Belahbib H, Grail BM, Johnson DB, Bonnefoy V, Talla E. Comparative Genome Analysis Provides Insights into Both the Lifestyle of Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans Strain CF27 and the Chimeric Nature of the Iron-Oxidizing Acidithiobacilli Genomes. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1009. [PMID: 28659871 PMCID: PMC5468388 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The iron-oxidizing species Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans is one of few acidophiles able to oxidize ferrous iron and reduced inorganic sulfur compounds at low temperatures (<10°C). To complete the genome of At. ferrivorans strain CF27, new sequences were generated, and an update assembly and functional annotation were undertaken, followed by a comparative analysis with other Acidithiobacillus species whose genomes are publically available. The At. ferrivorans CF27 genome comprises a 3,409,655 bp chromosome and a 46,453 bp plasmid. At. ferrivorans CF27 possesses genes allowing its adaptation to cold, metal(loid)-rich environments, as well as others that enable it to sense environmental changes, allowing At. ferrivorans CF27 to escape hostile conditions and to move toward favorable locations. Interestingly, the genome of At. ferrivorans CF27 exhibits a large number of genomic islands (mostly containing genes of unknown function), suggesting that a large number of genes has been acquired by horizontal gene transfer over time. Furthermore, several genes specific to At. ferrivorans CF27 have been identified that could be responsible for the phenotypic differences of this strain compared to other Acidithiobacillus species. Most genes located inside At. ferrivorans CF27-specific gene clusters which have been analyzed were expressed by both ferrous iron-grown and sulfur-attached cells, indicating that they are not pseudogenes and may play a role in both situations. Analysis of the taxonomic composition of genomes of the Acidithiobacillia infers that they are chimeric in nature, supporting the premise that they belong to a particular taxonomic class, distinct to other proteobacterial subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tam T T Tran
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, LCBMarseille, France
| | - Sophie Mangenot
- Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire pour l'Etude des Génomes, C.E.A., Institut de Génomique - GenoscopeEvry, France
| | - Ghislaine Magdelenat
- Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire pour l'Etude des Génomes, C.E.A., Institut de Génomique - GenoscopeEvry, France
| | - Emilie Payen
- Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire pour l'Etude des Génomes, C.E.A., Institut de Génomique - GenoscopeEvry, France
| | - Zoé Rouy
- CNRS UMR8030, CEA/DSV/IG/Genoscope, Laboratoire d'Analyses Bioinformatiques pour la Génomique et le MétabolismeEvry, France
| | | | - Barry M Grail
- College of Natural Sciences, Bangor UniversityBangor, United Kingdom
| | - D Barrie Johnson
- College of Natural Sciences, Bangor UniversityBangor, United Kingdom
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Ccorahua-Santo R, Eca A, Abanto M, Guerra G, Ramírez P. Physiological and comparative genomic analysis of Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans PQ33 provides psychrotolerant fitness evidence for oxidation at low temperature. Res Microbiol 2017; 168:482-492. [DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2017.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2015] [Revised: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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23
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Genomic and transcriptomic analyses reveal adaptation mechanisms of an Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans strain YL15 to alpine acid mine drainage. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0178008. [PMID: 28542527 PMCID: PMC5438186 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 05/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans is an acidophile that often occurs in low temperature acid mine drainage, e.g., that located at high altitude. Being able to inhabit the extreme environment, the bacterium must possess strategies to copy with the survival stress. Nonetheless, information on the strategies is in demand. Here, genomic and transcriptomic assays were performed to illuminate the adaptation mechanisms of an A. ferrivorans strain YL15, to the alpine acid mine drainage environment in Yulong copper mine in southwest China. Genomic analysis revealed that strain has a gene repertoire for metal-resistance, e.g., genes coding for the mer operon and a variety of transporters/efflux proteins, and for low pH adaptation, such as genes for hopanoid-synthesis and the sodium:proton antiporter. Genes for various DNA repair enzymes and synthesis of UV-absorbing mycosporine-like amino acids precursor indicated hypothetical UV radiation—resistance mechanisms in strain YL15. In addition, it has two types of the acquired immune system–type III-B and type I-F CRISPR/Cas modules against invasion of foreign genetic elements. RNA-seq based analysis uncovered that strain YL15 uses a set of mechanisms to adapt to low temperature. Genes involved in protein synthesis, transmembrane transport, energy metabolism and chemotaxis showed increased levels of RNA transcripts. Furthermore, a bacterioferritin Dps gene had higher RNA transcript counts at 6°C, possibly implicated in protecting DNA against oxidative stress at low temperature. The study represents the first to comprehensively unveil the adaptation mechanisms of an acidophilic bacterium to the acid mine drainage in alpine regions.
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Nuñez H, Moya-Beltrán A, Covarrubias PC, Issotta F, Cárdenas JP, González M, Atavales J, Acuña LG, Johnson DB, Quatrini R. Molecular Systematics of the Genus Acidithiobacillus: Insights into the Phylogenetic Structure and Diversification of the Taxon. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:30. [PMID: 28154559 PMCID: PMC5243848 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2016] [Accepted: 01/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The acidithiobacilli are sulfur-oxidizing acidophilic bacteria that thrive in both natural and anthropogenic low pH environments. They contribute to processes that lead to the generation of acid rock drainage in several different geoclimatic contexts, and their properties have long been harnessed for the biotechnological processing of minerals. Presently, the genus is composed of seven validated species, described between 1922 and 2015: Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans, A. ferrooxidans, A. albertensis, A. caldus, A. ferrivorans, A. ferridurans, and A. ferriphilus. However, a large number of Acidithiobacillus strains and sequence clones have been obtained from a variety of ecological niches over the years, and many isolates are thought to vary in phenotypic properties and cognate genetic traits. Moreover, many isolates remain unclassified and several conflicting specific assignments muddle the picture from an evolutionary standpoint. Here we revise the phylogenetic relationships within this species complex and determine the phylogenetic species boundaries using three different typing approaches with varying degrees of resolution: 16S rRNA gene-based ribotyping, oligotyping, and multi-locus sequencing analysis (MLSA). To this end, the 580 16S rRNA gene sequences affiliated to the Acidithiobacillus spp. were collected from public and private databases and subjected to a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis. Oligotyping was used to profile high-entropy nucleotide positions and resolve meaningful differences between closely related strains at the 16S rRNA gene level. Due to its greater discriminatory power, MLSA was used as a proxy for genome-wide divergence in a smaller but representative set of strains. Results obtained indicate that there is still considerable unexplored diversity within this genus. At least six new lineages or phylotypes, supported by the different methods used herein, are evident within the Acidithiobacillus species complex. Although the diagnostic characteristics of these subgroups of strains are as yet unresolved, correlations to specific metadata hint to the mechanisms behind econiche-driven divergence of some of the species/phylotypes identified. The emerging phylogenetic structure for the genus outlined in this study can be used to guide isolate selection for future population genomics and evolutionary studies in this important acidophile model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harold Nuñez
- Microbial Ecophysiology Laboratory, Fundación Ciencia & VidaSantiago, Chile
| | - Ana Moya-Beltrán
- Microbial Ecophysiology Laboratory, Fundación Ciencia & VidaSantiago, Chile
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Andres Bello UniversitySantiago, Chile
| | | | - Francisco Issotta
- Microbial Ecophysiology Laboratory, Fundación Ciencia & VidaSantiago, Chile
| | | | - Mónica González
- Microbial Ecophysiology Laboratory, Fundación Ciencia & VidaSantiago, Chile
| | - Joaquín Atavales
- Microbial Ecophysiology Laboratory, Fundación Ciencia & VidaSantiago, Chile
| | - Lillian G. Acuña
- Microbial Ecophysiology Laboratory, Fundación Ciencia & VidaSantiago, Chile
| | | | - Raquel Quatrini
- Microbial Ecophysiology Laboratory, Fundación Ciencia & VidaSantiago, Chile
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González C, Lazcano M, Valdés J, Holmes DS. Bioinformatic Analyses of Unique (Orphan) Core Genes of the Genus Acidithiobacillus: Functional Inferences and Use As Molecular Probes for Genomic and Metagenomic/Transcriptomic Interrogation. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:2035. [PMID: 28082953 PMCID: PMC5186765 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.02035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Accepted: 12/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Using phylogenomic and gene compositional analyses, five highly conserved gene families have been detected in the core genome of the phylogenetically coherent genus Acidithiobacillus of the class Acidithiobacillia. These core gene families are absent in the closest extant genus Thermithiobacillus tepidarius that subtends the Acidithiobacillus genus and roots the deepest in this class. The predicted proteins encoded by these core gene families are not detected by a BLAST search in the NCBI non-redundant database of more than 90 million proteins using a relaxed cut-off of 1.0e−5. None of the five families has a clear functional prediction. However, bioinformatic scrutiny, using pI prediction, motif/domain searches, cellular location predictions, genomic context analyses, and chromosome topology studies together with previously published transcriptomic and proteomic data, suggests that some may have functions associated with membrane remodeling during cell division perhaps in response to pH stress. Despite the high level of amino acid sequence conservation within each family, there is sufficient nucleotide variation of the respective genes to permit the use of the DNA sequences to distinguish different species of Acidithiobacillus, making them useful additions to the armamentarium of tools for phylogenetic analysis. Since the protein families are unique to the Acidithiobacillus genus, they can also be leveraged as probes to detect the genus in environmental metagenomes and metatranscriptomes, including industrial biomining operations, and acid mine drainage (AMD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina González
- Center for Bioinformatics and Genome Biology, Fundación Ciencia & VidaSantiago, Chile; Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidad Andres BelloSantiago, Chile
| | - Marcelo Lazcano
- Center for Bioinformatics and Genome Biology, Fundación Ciencia & VidaSantiago, Chile; Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidad Andres BelloSantiago, Chile
| | - Jorge Valdés
- Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Mayor Santiago, Chile
| | - David S Holmes
- Center for Bioinformatics and Genome Biology, Fundación Ciencia & VidaSantiago, Chile; Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidad Andres BelloSantiago, Chile
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Zhang X, Liu X, Liang Y, Fan F, Zhang X, Yin H. Metabolic diversity and adaptive mechanisms of iron- and/or sulfur-oxidizing autotrophic acidophiles in extremely acidic environments. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2016; 8:738-751. [PMID: 27337207 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Many studies have investigated the mechanisms underlying the survival and growth of certain organisms in extremely acidic environments known to be harmful to most prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Acidithiobacillus and Leptospirillum spp. are dominant bioleaching bacteria widely used in bioleaching systems, which are characterized by extremely acidic environments. To survive and grow in such settings, these acidophiles utilize shared molecular mechanisms that allow life in extreme conditions. In this review, we have summarized the results of published genomic analyses, which underscore the ability of iron- and/or sulfur-oxidizing autotrophic acidophiles belonging to the genera Acidithiobacillus and Leptospirillum to adapt to acidic environmental conditions. Several lines of evidence point at the metabolic diversity and multiplicity of pathways involved in the survival of these organisms. The ability to thrive in adverse environments requires versatile activation of structural and functional adaptive responses, including bacterial adhesion, motility, and resistance to heavy metals. We have highlighted recent developments centered on the key survival mechanisms employed by dominant extremophiles, and have laid the foundation for future studies focused on the ability of acidophiles to thrive in extremely acidic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Zhang
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xueduan Liu
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yili Liang
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Fenliang Fan
- Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoxia Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huaqun Yin
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China
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Zhang X, She S, Dong W, Niu J, Xiao Y, Liang Y, Liu X, Zhang X, Fan F, Yin H. Comparative genomics unravels metabolic differences at the species and/or strain level and extremely acidic environmental adaptation of ten bacteria belonging to the genus Acidithiobacillus. Syst Appl Microbiol 2016; 39:493-502. [PMID: 27712915 DOI: 10.1016/j.syapm.2016.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Revised: 07/22/2016] [Accepted: 08/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Members of the Acidithiobacillus genus are widely found in extreme environments characterized by low pH and high concentrations of toxic substances, thus it is necessary to identify the cellular mechanisms needed to cope with these harsh conditions. Pan-genome analysis of ten bacteria belonging to the genus Acidithiobacillus suggested the existence of core genome, most of which were assigned to the metabolism-associated genes. Additionally, the unique genes of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans were much less than those of other species. A large proportion of Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans-specific genes were mapped especially to metabolism-related genes, indicating that diverse metabolic pathways might confer an advantage for adaptation to local environmental conditions. Analyses of functional metabolisms revealed the differences of carbon metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, and sulfur metabolism at the species and/or strain level. The findings also showed that Acidithiobacillus spp. harbored specific adaptive mechanisms for thriving under extreme environments. The genus Acidithiobacillus had the genetic potential to resist and metabolize toxic substances such as heavy metals and organic solvents. Comparison across species and/or strains of Acidithiobacillus populations provided a deeper appreciation of metabolic differences and environmental adaptation, as well as highlighting the importance of cellular mechanisms that maintain the basal physiological functions under complex acidic environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Zhang
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China; Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China.
| | - Siyuan She
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China; Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China.
| | - Weiling Dong
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China; Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China.
| | - Jiaojiao Niu
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China; Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China.
| | - Yunhua Xiao
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China; Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China.
| | - Yili Liang
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China; Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China.
| | - Xueduan Liu
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China; Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China.
| | - Xiaoxia Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China; Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Fenliang Fan
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China.
| | - Huaqun Yin
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China; Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China.
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Cárdenas JP, Quatrini R, Holmes DS. Genomic and metagenomic challenges and opportunities for bioleaching: a mini-review. Res Microbiol 2016; 167:529-38. [PMID: 27394987 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2016.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2016] [Revised: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 06/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
High-throughput genomic technologies are accelerating progress in understanding the diversity of microbial life in many environments. Here we highlight advances in genomics and metagenomics of microorganisms from bioleaching heaps and related acidic mining environments. Bioleaching heaps used for copper recovery provide significant opportunities to study the processes and mechanisms underlying microbial successions and the influence of community composition on ecosystem functioning. Obtaining quantitative and process-level knowledge of these dynamics is pivotal for understanding how microorganisms contribute to the solubilization of copper for industrial recovery. Advances in DNA sequencing technology provide unprecedented opportunities to obtain information about the genomes of bioleaching microorganisms, allowing predictive models of metabolic potential and ecosystem-level interactions to be constructed. These approaches are enabling predictive phenotyping of organisms many of which are recalcitrant to genetic approaches or are unculturable. This mini-review describes current bioleaching genomic and metagenomic projects and addresses the use of genome information to: (i) build metabolic models; (ii) predict microbial interactions; (iii) estimate genetic diversity; and (iv) study microbial evolution. Key challenges and perspectives of bioleaching genomics/metagenomics are addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David S Holmes
- Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile; Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile.
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Are there multiple mechanisms of anaerobic sulfur oxidation with ferric iron in Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ? Res Microbiol 2016; 167:357-66. [DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2016.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2015] [Revised: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Christel S, Fridlund J, Buetti-Dinh A, Buck M, Watkin EL, Dopson M. RNA transcript sequencing reveals inorganic sulfur compound oxidation pathways in the acidophile Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2016; 363:fnw057. [PMID: 26956550 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnw057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans is an acidophile implicated in low-temperature biomining for the recovery of metals from sulfide minerals. Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans obtains its energy from the oxidation of inorganic sulfur compounds, and genes encoding several alternative pathways have been identified. Next-generation sequencing of At. ferrivorans RNA transcripts identified the genes coding for metabolic and electron transport proteins for energy conservation from tetrathionate as electron donor. RNA transcripts suggested that tetrathionate was hydrolyzed by the tetH1 gene product to form thiosulfate, elemental sulfur and sulfate. Despite two of the genes being truncated, RNA transcripts for the SoxXYZAB complex had higher levels than for thiosulfate quinone oxidoreductase (doxDAgenes). However, a lack of heme-binding sites in soxX suggested that DoxDA was responsible for thiosulfate metabolism. Higher RNA transcript counts also suggested that elemental sulfur was metabolized by heterodisulfide reductase (hdrgenes) rather than sulfur oxygenase reductase (sor). The sulfite produced as a product of heterodisulfide reductase was suggested to be oxidized by a pathway involving the sat gene product or abiotically react with elemental sulfur to form thiosulfate. Finally, several electron transport complexes were involved in energy conservation. This study has elucidated the previously unknown At. ferrivorans tetrathionate metabolic pathway that is important in biomining.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Christel
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems (EEMiS), Linnaeus University, 391 82 Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Jimmy Fridlund
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems (EEMiS), Linnaeus University, 391 82 Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Antoine Buetti-Dinh
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems (EEMiS), Linnaeus University, 391 82 Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Moritz Buck
- National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden and Evolutionary Biology Center, Uppsala University, 751 05 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Elizabeth L Watkin
- CHIRI Biosciences, School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University, Perth 6845, Australia
| | - Mark Dopson
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems (EEMiS), Linnaeus University, 391 82 Kalmar, Sweden
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Tran TTT, Belahbib H, Bonnefoy V, Talla E. A Comprehensive tRNA Genomic Survey Unravels the Evolutionary History of tRNA Arrays in Prokaryotes. Genome Biol Evol 2015; 8:282-95. [PMID: 26710853 PMCID: PMC4758250 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evv254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Considering the importance of tRNAs in the translation machinery, scant attention has been paid to tRNA array units defined as genomic regions containing at least 20 tRNA genes with a minimal tRNA gene density of two tRNA genes per kilobase. Our analysis of Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans CF27 and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 23270(T) genomes showed that both display a tRNA array unit with syntenic conservation which mainly contributed to the tRNA gene redundancy in these two organisms. Our investigations into the occurrence and distribution of tRNA array units revealed that 1) this tRNA organization is limited to few phyla and mainly found in Gram-positive bacteria; and 2) the presence of tRNA arrays favors the redundancy of tRNA genes, in particular those encoding the core tRNA isoacceptors. Finally, comparative array organization revealed that tRNA arrays were acquired through horizontal gene transfer (from Firmicutes or unknown donor), before being subjected to tRNA rearrangements, deletions, and duplications. In Bacilli, the most parsimonious evolutionary history involved two common ancestors and the acquisition of their arrays arose late in evolution, in the genera branches. Functional roles of the array units in organism lifestyle, selective genetic advantage and translation efficiency, as well as the evolutionary advantages of organisms harboring them were proposed. Our study offers new insight into the structural organization and evolution of tRNA arrays in prokaryotic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tam T T Tran
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IGS, UMR 7256, IMM, France
| | | | | | - Emmanuel Talla
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IGS, UMR 7256, IMM, France
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Bellenberg S, Barthen R, Boretska M, Zhang R, Sand W, Vera M. Manipulation of pyrite colonization and leaching by iron-oxidizing Acidithiobacillus species. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2014; 99:1435-49. [PMID: 25381488 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-014-6180-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2014] [Revised: 10/16/2014] [Accepted: 10/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In this study, the process of pyrite colonization and leaching by three iron-oxidizing Acidithiobacillus species was investigated by fluorescence microscopy, bacterial attachment, and leaching assays. Within the first 4-5 days, only the biofilm subpopulation was responsible for pyrite dissolution. Pyrite-grown cells, in contrast to iron-grown cells, were able to oxidize iron(II) ions or pyrite after 24 h iron starvation and incubation with 1 mM H₂O₂, indicating that these cells were adapted to the presence of enhanced levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are generated on metal sulfide surfaces. Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans SS3 and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans R1 showed enhanced pyrite colonization and biofilm formation compared to A. ferrooxidans (T). A broad range of factors influencing the biofilm formation on pyrite were also identified, some of them were strain-specific. Cultivation at non-optimum growth temperatures or increased ionic strength led to a decreased colonization of pyrite. The presence of iron(III) ions increased pyrite colonization, especially when pyrite-grown cells were used, while the addition of 20 mM copper(II) ions resulted in reduced biofilm formation on pyrite. This observation correlated with a different extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) composition of copper-exposed cells. Interestingly, the addition of 1 mM sodium glucuronate in combination with iron(III) ions led to a 5-fold and 7-fold increased cell attachment after 1 and 8 days of incubation, respectively, in A. ferrooxidans (T). In addition, sodium glucuronate addition enhanced pyrite dissolution by 25%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sören Bellenberg
- Fakultät für Chemie, Biofilm Centre, Aquatische Biotechnologie, Universität Duisburg-Essen Universitätsstr 5, 45141, Essen, Germany,
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