Microbial architecture of environmental sulfur processes: a novel syntrophic sulfur-metabolizing consortia

Environmental Science & Technology
K L I NorlundLesley A Warren

Abstract

Microbial oxidation of sulfur-rich mining waste materials drives acid mine drainage (AMD) and affects the global sulfur biogeochemical cycle. The generation of AMD is a complex, dynamic process that proceeds via multiple reaction pathways. The role of natural consortia of microbes in AMD generation, however, has received very little attention despite their widespread occurrence in mining environments. Through a combination of geochemical experimentation and modeling, scanning transmission X-ray microscopy, and fluorescent in situ hybridization, we show a novel interdependent metabolic arrangement of two ubiquitous and abundant AMD bacteria: chemoautotrophic sulfur-oxidizing Acidithiobacillus sp. and heterotrophic Acidiphilium sp. Highly reminiscent of anaerobic methane oxidation (AOM) consortia, these bacteria are spatially segregated within a planktonic macrostructure of extracellular polymeric substance in which they syntrophically couple sulfur oxidation and reduction reactions in a mutually beneficial arrangement that regenerates their respective sulfur substrates. As discussed here, the geochemical impacts of microbial metabolism are linked to the consortial organization and development of the pod structure, which affects ...Continue Reading

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Citations

Dec 3, 2010·Genes & Development·Edwin H Wintermute, Pamela A Silver
Jun 14, 2013·The Journal of Chemical Physics·Shirin BehyanStephen G Urquhart
Jul 5, 2011·The Journal of Chemical Physics·Shirin BeyhanStephen G Urquhart
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Nov 23, 2016·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Maggie C Y LauTullis C Onstott
Dec 9, 2016·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Xiaohui ZhuDavid A Shapiro
Aug 20, 2017·Biointerphases·Wenchao WeiXiao-Ying Yu
May 26, 2018·Natural Product Reports·Glen D'SouzaChristian Kost
Feb 17, 2011·Environmental Science & Technology·Janina M PlachLesley A Warren

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