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EFFECT OF THIOL-BINDING REAGENTS ON THE METABOLISM OF THIOSULFATE AND TETRATHIONATE BY THIOBACILLUS NEAPOLITANUS.

Trudinger, P. A. (Division of Plant Industry, Canberra, Australia). Effect of thiol-binding reagents on the metabolism of thiosulfate and tetrathionate by Thiobacillus neapolitanus. J. Bacteriol. 89:617-625. 1965.-Iodoacetamide, N-ethyl maleimide (NEM), p-chloromercuribenzoate (CMB), Mercurochrome, and HgCl(2) inhibited the oxidation of thiosulfate to sulfate by Thiobacillus neapolitanus; tetrathionate accumulated under these conditions. High concentrations of the thiol-binding reagents lowered the rate of oxidation of thiosulfate to tetrathionate; inhibition by CMB was reversed by high concentrations of thiosulfate. Relatively low concentrations of the thiol-binding reagents completely inhibited the oxidation and anaerobic metabolism of tetrathionate. Similar reagents had no effect on a soluble thiosulfate-oxidizing enzyme. Inhibition by thiol-binding reagents was overcome by washing the bacteria with Na(2)S or thioethanol after their exposure to the inhibitors. Under some conditions, the addition of thiosulfate or tetrathionate to bacterial suspensions before the addition of the thiol-binding reagents prevented the inhibition of thiosulfate and tetrathionate metabolism by these reagents. Thiosulfate catalyzed a rapid chemical breakdown of NEM and reacted with iodoacetamide. A complex between thiosulfate and mercuribenzoate was demonstrated. Three types of thiol group appear to be associated with the metabolism of thiosulfate and tetrathionate; one of these types may be located at the bacterial cell membrane. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that thiols (or disulfide groups) are binding sites for the substrates.

Australia↗

COUPLING OF PHOSPHORYLATION AND CARBON DIOXIDE FIXATION IN EXTRACTS OF THIOBACILLUS THIOPARUS.

Johnson, Emmett J. (University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson), and Harry D. Peck, Jr. Coupling of phosphorylation and carbon dioxide fixation in extracts of Thiobacillus thioparus. J. Bacteriol. 89:1041-1050. 1965.-A cell-free system from Thiobacillus thioparus which fixes large quantities of C(14)O(2) in the presence of ribose-5-phosphate, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and Mg(++) has been described. The specific activity (0.041 mumole of ribulose-1,5-diphosphate min(-1) mg(-1) protein) of the CO(2)-fixing system approaches that of green plants, and is further evidence for the importance of the role of carboxydismutase in the thiobacilli. In addition to ATP, adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and other nucleoside triphosphates served with varying degrees of effectiveness for the fixation of C(14)O(2). The ATP requirement for CO(2) fixation was partially replaced under aerobic conditions by a combination of SO(3) (=), PO(4) ( identical with), and adenosine monophosphate (AMP). Phosphorylation and CO(2) fixation were separated in time by first incubating SO(3) (=) and AMP aerobically, and then anaerobically introducing C(14)O(3) (=) and ribose-5-phosphate into the reaction mixture. During the first incubation, P(32)O(4) ( identical with) was esterified into nucleotides, mainly ADP, and in the second incubation C(14)O(2) was fixed, with the concomitant utilization of almost equal amounts of the esterified phosphate. These data provide the first in vitro evidence for the mechanism of the coupling of CO(2) fixation and phosphorylation in T. thioparus. The fixation of C(14)O(2) was shown to be almost completely inhibited by AMP. This inhibition was not due to the conversion of ATP to ADP by adenylic kinase, or to the binding of magnesium by the nucleotide. The inhibition was specific for AMP, since other mononucleotides, adenosine, and adenine did not inhibit. The AMP regulation of CO(2) fixation may represent a basic control mechanism in autotrophic metabolism.

Adenine Nucleotides↗

Reduction of oxidized inorganic nitrogen compounds by a new strain of Thiobacillus denitrificans.

Denitrification by Thiobacillus denitrificans "RT" strain was investigated using manometry and gas chromatography. 1. From nitrate, resting cells produced only nitrogen anaerobically with thiosulfate as the electron donor. The data suggest that nitrate was assimilated and dissimilated by the same nitrate reductase, assayed with benzyl-viologen as the electron donor. 2. From nitrite, whole cells produced nitric oxide, nitrous oxide and nitrogen, using thiosulfate as the electron donor; nitrogen was the final product of the reduction. Crude extract reduced nitrite to nitrogen with p-phenylene-diamine and dimethyl-p-phenylene diamine as the electron donors, and produced nitric oxide, nitrous oxide and nitrogen with tetramethyl-p-phenylene-diamine as the electron donor. Nitrite was reduced to nitric oxide and nitrous oxide by crude extract using ascorbate-phenazine methosulfate as the electron donor. 3. From nitric oxide, whole cells produced nitrous oxide and nitrogen using thiosulfate as the electron donor, nitrogen was the final reduction product. Nitric oxide was reduced to nitrous oxide by crude extract with the ascorbate-phenazine methosulfate system. 4. Whole cells reduced nitrous oxide to nitrogen with thiosulfate as the electron donor. It was not possible to detect any nitrous oxide reductase activity in crude extract. 5. A scheme was of denitrification by Thiobacillus denitrificans "RT" strain.

Aerobiosis↗

Characterization of the membranous denitrification enzymes nitrite reductase (cytochrome cd1) and copper-containing nitrous oxide reductase from Thiobacillus denitrificans.

Cytochrome cd1-nitrite reductase and nitrous oxide reductase of Thiobacillus denitrificans were purified and characterized by biochemical and immunochemical methods. In contrast to the generally soluble nature of the denitrification enzymes, these two enzymes were isolated from the membrane fraction of T. denitrificans and remained active after solubilization with Triton X-100. The properties of the membrane-derived enzymes were similar to those of their soluble counterparts from the same organism. Nitrous oxide reductase activity was inhibited by acetylene. Nitrite reductase and nitrous oxide reductase cross-reacted with antisera raised against the soluble enzymes from Pseudomonas stutzeri. The nirS, norBC, and nosZ genes encoding the cytochrome cd1-nitrite reductase, nitric oxide reductase, and nitrous oxide reductase, respectively, from P. stutzeri hybridized with genomic DNA from T. denitrificans. Cross-reactivity and similar N-terminal amino acid and gene sequences suggest that the primary structures of the Thiobacillus enzymes are homologous to the soluble proteins from P. stutzeri.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Ferrous sulphate oxidation using Thiobacillus ferrooxidans cells immobilised on sand for the purpose of treating acid mine-drainage.

Thiobacillus ferrooxidans was immobilised on sand (size 0.85 mm to 1.18 mm) for use in a repeated batch and continuously operated packed-bed bioreactor which has not been previously reported in the literature. Repeated batch operation resulted in the complete oxidation of ferrous to ferric iron. The bacteria were active immediately after 3-4 weeks in a non-aqueous medium; i.e. the sand was allowed to dry out, demonstrating the stability of the system. A lag phase of 28 days was recorded when the sand was stored dried in a sealed container for 16 weeks compared with a lag phase of 13 days for a sample frozen for 18 weeks. After a period of 10 days, continuous operation of the reactor at a dilution rate of 0.64 h(-1) resulted in 95-99% oxidation of ferrous iron or 0.31-0.33 kg m(-3) h(-1). With the use of a scanning electron microscope, images were recorded of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans on sand.

Adsorption↗

Identification and cloning of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans structural nif genes in Escherichia coli.

The presence of nucleotide sequences which are homologous to the nifHDK genes of Klebsiella pneumoniae was demonstrated in total DNA preparations from five different iron-oxidizing Thiobacillus ferrooxidans strains. A non-iron-oxidizing Thiobacillus novellus strain and a heterotrophic Acidiphilium strain, which occurs in close association with T. ferrooxidans, did not contain DNA homologous to the nifHDK genes. The T. ferrooxidans ATCC33020 nifHDK genes were cloned and their arrangement was characterized on a 6.7-kb insert in pIMP16.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Thiobacillus ferrooxidans mer operon: sequence analysis of the promoter and adjacent genes.

The merA upstream nucleotide (nt) sequence (1378 bp) of the Hg2(+)-resistance-encoding gene system (mer) in Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, was determined. The region contains two open reading frames: unidentified reading frame 1 (URF1) and merC. URF1 has 63-73% homology with those of Tn501, R100 and pDU1358, although the corresponding product has not yet been identified. Thiobacillus merC had 61% and 55% homology with R100 merC at the nt and amino acid (aa) sequence levels, respectively, and its product, consisting of 143 aa, was highly hydrophobic. No sequence homologous to merR, merT. merP or merD of R100 were observed on either strand. Within the 70-100-bp sequence upstream from the merC start codon. there was a sequence highly homologous to the promoter of merT of other Gram- mer systems. From primer extension and Northern-blot analyses, it became clear that merC and merA were co-transcribed from this putative transcription start point. The mer transcript in T. ferrooxidans was only detected in Hg2(+)-induced cells. Therefore, it was concluded that the T. ferrooxidans mer system is an inducible operon.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

N-unsubstituted glucosamine residues and other modifications in murein of the obligatory chemolithotroph Thiobacillus neapolitanus.

Purified murein from Thiobacillus neapolitanus was poorly digested by lysozyme. It's sensitivity to the enzyme greatly increased after N-acetylation. The murein was found to contain 30 to 35% glucosamine residues lacking N-acetyl groups. It also contained phosphomuramic acid. Further modifications included amidation of diaminopimelic acid in the peptide side chains and a low alanine content. None of these modifications were found in the murein of another sulphur bacterium, Thiobacillus versutus.

Amino Acids↗

Bio-dissolution of spent nickel-cadmium batteries using Thiobacillus ferrooxidans.

In this study, the production of sulphuric acid in bioreactors with Thiobacillus ferrooxidans attached on elemental sulphur was investigated. These bioreactors reached a maximum H+ productivity of 80 mmol kg-1 d-1 of support. This medium was used for the indirect dissolution of spent nickel-cadmium batteries recovering after 93 days 100% of cadmium, 96.5% of nickel and 95.0% of iron. Moreover, recoveries higher than 90.0% were reached when anodic and cathodic materials were directly added to Thiobacillus ferrooxidans cultures with sulphur as the sole energy source. The results presented show an economic and effective method which could be considered the first step to recycle spent and and discarded batteries preventing one of the many problems of environmental pollution.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗

Optimal conditions for bio-oxidation of ferrous ions to ferric ions using Thiobacillus ferrooxidans.

A chemo-biochemical process using Thiobacillus ferrooxidans for desulphurization of gaseous fuels and emissions containing hydrogen sulphide (H2S) has been developed. In the first stage, H2S present in fuel gas and emissions is selectively oxidized to elemental sulphur using ferric sulphate. The ferrous sulphate produced in the first stage of the process is oxidized to ferric sulphate using Thiobacillus ferrooxidans for recycle and reuse in the process. The effects of process variables, temperature, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), elemental sulphur, ferric and magnesium ions on bio-oxidation of ferrous ions to ferric ions were investigated using flask culture experiments. The bio-oxidation of ferrous ions to ferric ions could be achieved efficiently in the temperature range of 20(+/-1)-44(+/-1) degrees C. A pH range of 1.8(+/-0.02)-2.2(+/-0.02) was optimum for the growth of culture and effective bio-oxidation of ferrous ions to ferric ions. The effect of TDS on bio-oxidation of ferrous ions indicated that a preacclimatized culture in a growth medium containing high dissolved solid was required to achieve effective bio-oxidation of ferrous ions. Elemental sulphur ranging from 1000 to 100,000 mg/l did not have any effect on efficiency of ferrous ion oxidation. The efficiency of bio-oxidation of ferrous ions to ferric ions was not affected in the presence of ferric ions up to a concentration of 500 mg/l while 3 mg/l of magnesium ion was optimal for achieving effective bio-oxidation.

Bioreactors↗

Isolation, phenotypic characterization, and phylogenetic position of a novel, facultatively autotrophic, moderately thermophilic bacterium, Thiobacillus thermosulfatus sp. nov.

Thiobacillus thermosulfatus ATCC 51520T (T = type strain) was isolated from sewage sludge samples enriched with elemental sulfur. The cells of this organism were gram negative, rod shaped, motile, facultatively autotrophic, and strictly aerobic and contained polyphosphate inclusions and polyhedral bodies. During growth on thiosulfate, the following intermediates were produced: tetrathionate, trithionate, and sulfate, and the pH was lowered from neutrality to around 2.5. Autotrophic growth was observed at pH values between 4.3 and 7.8 and at temperatures of 34 to 65 degrees C; optimum growth occurred at pH 5.2 to 5.6 and 50 to 52.5 degrees C. Ubiquinone Q8 was present in the respiratory chain. The DNA contained 61 +/- 1 mol% G+C. No denitrification was observed under autotrophic and heterotrophic conditions. The cells produced a glycocalyx during growth in the presence of S0. As determined by a 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, T. thermosulfatus is a distinct species that belongs to the beta subdivision of the Proteobacteria and is closely related phylogenetically to Thiobacillus perometabolis. The GenBank accession number for the complete 16S rRNA gene sequence of T. thermosulfatus is U27839.

Bacteriological Techniques↗

Proposal for the reclassification of Thiobacillus novellus as Starkeya novella gen. nov., comb. nov., in the alpha-subclass of the Proteobacteria.

Thiobacillus novellus is a facultatively chemolithoautotrophic and methylotrophic, Gram-negative, rod-shaped sulfur bacterium, shown by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis to be a member of the alpha-2 subclass of the Proteobacteria. As such, it must be excluded from the genus Thiobacillus, whose species are members of the beta-Proteobacteria. It closest phylogenetic neighbour appears to be Ancylobacter, from which it is distinct morphologically and in some physiological characteristics. It is distinct physiologically and biochemically in a number of diagnostic features from Paracoccus versutus, in the alpha-3 subclass of the Proteobacteria and does not appear to be sufficiently closely related to any other genus of the alpha-Proteobacteria to be reassigned to a known genus. The new genus and species name Starkeya novella is proposed for T. novellus. The type strain is ATCC 8093T (= NCIMB 10456T = NCIMB 9113T = DSM 506T = IAM 12100T = IFO 12443T = CCM 1077T).

Alphaproteobacteria↗

Rhodanese from Thiobacillus A2: catalysis of reactions of thiosulphate with dihydrolipoate and dihydrolipoamide.

Rhodanese (thiosulphate:cyanide sulphurtransferase EC.2.8.1.1) was purified 25- to 30-fold from thiosulphate-grown Thiobacillus A2. It exhibited a pH optimum between pH 10-2 and 10-4 and apparent Km values of 0-36 mM-Na2S2O3 and 17 mM-KCN. Ultraviolet spectrophotometry and thin-layer chromatography showed that the enzyme catalysed the reaction of S2O3(2-) with dihydrolipoic acid or dihydrolipoamide, producing alpha-lipoate or lipoamide, with the intermediate production of the persulphides of dihydrolipoate and dihydrolipoamide, which were demonstrated chromatographically. This is the first demonstration of catalysis by a thiobacillus rhodanese of reactions which are likely to be physiologically important in the oxidative dissimilation of thiosulphate by a central energy-conserving pathway.

Amides↗

Paracoccus thiocyanatus sp. nov., a new species of thiocyanate-utilizing facultative chemolithotroph, and transfer of Thiobacillus versutus to the genus Paracoccus as Paracoccus versutus comb. nov. with emendation of the genus.

A facultatively chemolithotrophic thiocyanate-degrading bacterium, strain THI 011T, which was previously isolated from activated sludge and tentatively named Thiobacillus sp., was studied taxonomically and phylogenetically. This bacterium utilizes thiocyanate as sole energy source and the specific growth rate for chemolithoautotrophic growth with thiocyanate was 0.059 h-1. Molecular phylogenetic relationships of strain THI 011T to Thiobacillus versutus and members of the genus Paracoccus were elucidated by comparing 16S rRNA gene sequences. Binary sequence comparisons showed that strain THI 011T was most related to Paracoccus aminophilus, at a similarity level of 97.0%, and T. versutus was most similar to Paracoccus denitrificans, at a level of 99.1%. A neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree showed that strain THI 011T formed a cluster together with T. versutus and known species of the genus Paracoccus within the alpha-3 subclass of the Proteobacteria. DNA-DNA hybridization assays and phenotypic studies indicated that strain THI 011T differed from T. versutus and known species of the genus Paracoccus. On the basis of these results, we propose to classify strain THI 011T into a new species of the genus Paracoccus with the name Paracoccus thiocyanatus sp. nov. We also propose to transfer T. versutus to the genus Paracoccus and present an emended description of the genus.

Benzoquinones↗

Characterization of Thiobacillus thioparus isolated from an activated sludge bioreactor used for hydrogen sulfide treatment.

AIMS: To compare Thiobacillus thioparus population dynamics in a control and a test activated sludge (AS) bioreactor, used for hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) degradation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) was used to confirm the presence of T. thioparus, and real-time PCR was used to quantify the level of this bacterium in the AS samples. The DGGE analysis showed a band for T. thioparus in all samples, with the band being more prominent in the test sample with H(2)S diffusion. It also showed that although a change occurred in the diversity of the microbial population in the test sludge after 6 weeks of H(2)S diffusion, the microbial community structure of the test and control was still similar. Thiobacillus thioparus-specific PCR primers confirmed that 50% of the isolates from both the test and control bioreactors were T. thioparus. The thiobacilli population became more efficient at degrading the diffused H(2)S. This increase in efficiency was confirmed by a significant increase in the number of isolates from the test sludge compared with those from the control sludge, when they were grown in a thiosulfate-rich liquid medium. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that the use of AS process for H(2)S removal encourages the population of T. thioparus to increase even at times when the total biomass concentration shows a decrease. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The research results give an insight into the dynamics of the microbial population in an AS pilot plant used in a dual role, to treat the wastewater and H(2)S.

Bioreactors↗

Characterization and expression of the co-transcribed cyc1 and cyc2 genes encoding the cytochrome c4 (c552) and a high-molecular-mass cytochrome c from Thiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 33020.

The sequence of the cyc1 gene encoding the Thiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 33020 c552 cytochrome, shows that this cytochrome is a 21-kDa periplasmic c4-type cytochrome containing two similar monohaem domains. The kinetics of reduction and the fact that cytochromes c4 are considered to be physiological electron donors of cytochrome oxidases suggest that the last steps of the iron respiratory chain are: rusticyanin-->cytochrome c4-->cytochrome oxidase. In Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, cyc1 is co-transcribed with the cyc2 gene, encoding a high-molecular-mass monohaem cytochrome c. This suggests that the cytochromes encoded by these genes belong to the same electron transfer chain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Amplification of ribulose biphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit (RuBisCO LSU) gene fragments from Thiobacillus ferrooxidans and a moderate thermophile using polymerase chain reaction.

Southern blot analysis of DNA from an iron-oxidising moderate thermophile NMW-6 and from Thiobacillus ferrooxidans strain TFI-35 demonstrated sequences homologous to the RuBisCO LSU gene of Synechococcus. DNA fragments (457 bp) encoding part of the RuBisCO LSU gene (amino acids 73-200) were amplified from the genomic DNA of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans and the moderate thermophile NMW-6 using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique (Saiki et al. (1985) Science 233, 1350-1354). A comparison with the LSU sequences from T. ferrooxidans, Alcaligenes eutrophus, Chromatium vinosum, Synechococcus and Spinacea oleracea, which all have RuBisCOs with a hexadecameric structure, showed that the RuBisCO LSU gene sequence from NMW-6 appeared to be most closely related to that of the hydrogen bacterium A. eutrophus which showed 71.9% homology at the amino acid level. Despite its physiological similarity, T. ferrooxidans showed only 64.1% homology to the amino acid sequence from NMW-6 and had the lowest DNA homology (60.9%) of the hexadecameric type RuBisCOs. In the region sequenced, T. ferrooxidans and the RuBisCOs of the phototrophs C. vinosum, Synechococcus and S. oleracea, had 17 residues that were completely conserved which were substituted in both NMW-6 and A. eutrophus, 11 of these being identical substitutions. Comparison of the nucleotide and derived amino acid sequences of the RuBisCO LSU fragment from T. ferrooxidans with other RuBisCO sequences indicated a closer relationship to the hexadecameric type LSU genes of photosynthetic origin than to that of A. eutrophus. The T. ferrooxidans amino acid sequence showed 93.8%, 78.9% and 77.3% homology, respectively, to the C. vinosum, Synechococcus and S. oleracea (spinach) sequences but only 56.2% to A. eutrophus. The DNA sequence from Rhodospirillum rubrum, which has the atypical large subunit dimer RuBisCO structure with no small subunit, showed 39.2% and 42.7% homology, respectively, with the sequences of NMW-6 and T. ferrooxidans, and 25.0% and 29.7% amino acid homology, indicating that the DNA homology was substantially random in nature. PCR fragments (126 bp) that overlaped the last 15 codons of the fragments above were also amplified and sequenced. They showed incomplete homology with the larger fragments, supporting evidence obtained from Southern hybridizations that T. ferrooxidans and the moderate thermophile NMW-6 have multiple copies of RuBisCO LSU genes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, a facultative hydrogen oxidizer.

The type strain (ATCC 23270) and two other strains of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans were able to grow by hydrogen oxidation, a feature not recognized before. When cultivated on H2, a hydrogenase was induced and the strains were less extremely acidophilic than during growth on sulfidic ores. Cells of T. ferrooxidans grown on H2 and on ferrous iron showed 100% DNA homology. Hydrogen oxidation was not observed in eight other species of the genus Thiobacillus and in Leptospirillum ferrooxidans.

DNA, Bacterial↗