The chemolithoautotroph Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans can survive under phosphate-limiting conditions by expressing a C-P lyase operon that allows it to grow on phosphonates.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology
Mario VeraCarlos A Jerez

Abstract

The chemolithoautotrophic bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is of great importance in biomining operations. During the bioleaching of ores, microorganisms are subjected to a variety of environmental stresses and to the limitations of some nutrients, such as inorganic phosphate (P(i)), which is an essential component for all living cells. Although the primary source of phosphorus for microorganisms is P(i), some bacteria are also able to metabolize P(i) esters (with a C-O-P bond) and phosphonates (with a very inert C-P bond). By using bioinformatic analysis of genomic sequences of the type strain of A. ferrooxidans (ATCC 23270), we found that as part of a Pho regulon, this bacterium has a complete gene cluster encoding C-P lyase, which is the main bacterial enzyme involved in phosphonate (Pn) degradation in other microorganisms. A. ferrooxidans was able to grow in the presence of methyl-Pn or ethyl-Pn as an alternative phosphorus source. Under these growth conditions, a great reduction in inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) levels was seen compared with the level for cells grown in the presence of P(i). By means of reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR), DNA macroarrays, and real-time RT-PCR experiments, it was found that A. ferr...Continue Reading

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Citations

May 31, 2013·Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology·Mario VeraWolfgang Sand
Aug 12, 2009·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·Claudio A NavarroCarlos A Jerez
Aug 11, 2011·Biometals : an International Journal on the Role of Metal Ions in Biology, Biochemistry, and Medicine·Christian HödarVerónica Cambiazo
Mar 31, 2018·Astrobiology·Sanjay S LimayeParag Vaishampayan
Mar 7, 2014·Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews : MMBR·Bjarne Hove-JensenBjarne Jochimsen
Feb 12, 2019·The ISME Journal·Alejandra Guadalupe Acosta-CortésJuan Francisco Villarreal-Chiu
Dec 4, 2019·Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology·Natalia StosiekMagdalena Klimek-Ochab

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