A NEW “FERROVUM” SPECIES IN A SCHWERTMANNITE-PRODUCING PLANT FOR MINE WATER TREATMENT

Mining activities for metals or coal often result in the development of acid mine drainage due to the oxidation of sulfidic minerals which get exposed to oxygen. The acidic mine waters are characterized by low pH, high concentrations of sulfate and ferrous iron, and possibly dissolved heavy metals or metalloids. Conventional treatment comprises neutralization and oxidation yielding a sludge of iron oxides/hydroxides

SIDEROPHORES FOR SELECTIVE SOLID PHASE EXTRACTION OF STRATEGIC ELEMENTS

All over the world, industrial mining is leaving contaminated areas and dumps that, although being full of valuable metals, have high concentrations of toxic heavy metals that pollute the environment. The development of sustainable alternative biomining and bioremediation processes offers the potential to fully exploit these unexploited mining sites

Gene Loss and Horizontal Gene Transfer Contributed to the Genome Evolution of the Extreme Acidophile “Ferrovum”

Indexación: Web of Science. Scopus.Acid mine drainage (AMD), associated with active and abandoned mining sites, is a habitat for acidophilic microorganisms that gain energy from the oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds and ferrous iron and that thrive at pH below 4. Members of the recently proposed genus "Ferrovurn" are the first acidophilic iron oxidizers to be described within the Betaproteobacteria. Although they have been detected as typical community members in AMD habitats worldwide, knowledge of their phylogenetic and metabolic diversity is scarce. Genomics approaches appear to be most promising in addressing this lacuna since isolation and cultivation of "Ferrovurn" has proven to be extremely difficult and has so far only been successful for the designated type strain-Ferrovum myxofaciens" P3G. In this study, the genomes of two novel strains of "Ferrovurn" (PN-J185 and Z-31) derived from water samples of a mine water treatment plant were sequenced. These genomes were compared with those of "Ferrovum" sp. JA12 that also originated from the mine water treatment plant, and of the type strain (P3G). Phylogenomic scrutiny suggests that the four strains represent three "Ferrovum" species that cluster in two groups (1 and 2). Comprehensive analysis of their predicted metabolic pathways revealed that these groups harbor characteristic metabolic profiles, notably with respect to motility, chemotaxis, nitrogen metabolism, biofilm formation and their potential strategies to cope with the acidic environment. For example, while the "F myxofaciens" strains (group 1) appear to be motile and diazotrophic, the non-motile group 2 strains have the predicted potential to use a greater variety of fixed nitrogen sources. Furthermore, analysis of their genome synteny provides first insights into their genome evolution, suggesting that horizontal gene transfer and genome reduction in the group 2 strains by loss of genes encoding complete metabolic pathways or physiological features contributed to the observed diversification.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00797/ful

LEACHING OF SYNTHETIC GaAs- AND INDIUM-BEARING SPHALERITE ORE WITH HELP OF “REICHE ZECHE” MINE WATER

The main goal of the experiment was to leach minerals using microbes. To accomplish this goal, the course dealt with the acquisition of adequate bacteria, by taking water samples in the underground mine “Reiche Zeche”. Later leaching in stirred tank reactors was performed with two different substrates: synthetic GaAs and indium-bearing sphalerite ore. The leaching experiment was continuously monitored by the evolution of pH and redox potential. Samples were taken regularly in order to allow an evaluation of the actual leaching performance

Genome Sequence of the Moderately Acidophilic Sulfate-Reducing Firmicute Desulfosporosinus acididurans (Strain M1T)

Microbial dissimilatory sulfate reduction is commonplace in many anaerobic environments, though few acidophilic bacteria are known to mediate this process. We report the 4.64-Mb draft genome of the type strain of the moderate acidophile Desulfosporosinus acididurans, which was isolated from acidic sediment in a river draining the Soufrière volcano, Montserrat

Genome Sequence of the Acidophilic Sulfate-Reducing Peptococcaceae Strain CEB3

We report the draft genome of the Peptococcaceae strain CEB3 that originated from an acidic (pH 2.5) stream draining an abandoned copper mine. Strain CEB3 is one of the very few reported acidophilic sulfate-reducing isolates. The 5.04-Mb draft genome harbors 5,069 predicted protein-encoding and 66 RNA genes

Genome Sequence of the Acidophilic Iron Oxidizer Ferrimicrobium acidiphilum Strain T23T

Extremely acidophilic iron-oxidizing bacteria have largely been characterized for the phyla Proteobacteria and Nitrospira. Here, we report the draft genome of an iron-oxidizing and -reducing heterotrophic mesophile of the Actinobacteria, Ferrimicrobium acidiphilum, which was isolated from an abandoned pyrite mine. The genome sequence comprises 3.08 Mb

Genome Sequence of the Acidophilic Ferrous Iron-Oxidizing Isolate Acidithrix ferrooxidans Strain Py-F3, the Proposed Type Strain of the Novel Actinobacterial Genus Acidithrix

Extremely acidophilic iron-oxidizing Gram-positive bacteria comprise species within the phyla Firmicutes and Actinobacteria. Here, we report the 4.02-Mb draft genome of Acidithrix ferrooxidans Py-F3, which was isolated from a stream draining an abandoned copper mine and proposed as the type species of a new genus of Actinobacteria

Neue Wege in der Weißen Biotechnologie

Mikroorganismen sind in der Lage, zahlreiche Xenobiotika abzubauen. Dazu nutzen sie unter aeroben Bedingungen oft einleitend Oxygenasen. Durch diese kann molekularer Luftsauerstoff aktiviert und auf organische Moleküle übertragen werden. Danach können die Verbindungen in den Metabolismus der Mikroorganismen eingeschleust und teils oder vollständig abgebaut werden. Am Beispiel des Styrols zeigen wir hier eine solche Abbauroute und wie wir diese biotechnologisch nutzen können, um interessante Verbindungen zu synthetisieren. Zielmoleküle der gesamten Enzymkaskade sind dabei diverse Phenylessigsäurederivate

Producción y caracterización de heterobactina B de rhodococcus erythropolis S43 : un sideróforo quelante de arsénico

El arsénico es un metaloide ubicuo, sin embargo, puede convertirse en un contaminante debido a actividades industriales como la minería. Este metaloide es altamente tóxico y un problema ambiental en varios países, entre ellos Chile y Alemania, donde la descontaminación del arsénico es un problema pendiente. Rhodococcus erythropolis S43 es una actinobacteria tolerante al arsénico aislada de un suelo contaminado con el metaloide desde una mina de plata, ubicada cerca de Freiberg, Alemania. Esta cepa es capaz de producir sideróforos cuando se expone a condiciones de carencia de hierro. Este trabajo explora la ruta putativa de producción de sideróforos en R. erythropolis S43 y la capacidad quelante de arsénico de estos compuestos. Para inducir la producción de sideróforos, la cepa se cultivó en medio M9 libre de hierro y la capacidad quelante de hierro y arsénico se evaluó utilizando el ensayo colorimétrico CAS y As-mCAS respectivamente. La actividad quelante obtenida fue expresada en concentración μMEq de desferroxamina B (DFOB). Los metabolitos obtenidos mostraron capacidad quelante hierro y arsénico, logrando una actividad equivalente a 160 μM de DFOB en el extracto crudo y aproximadamente 10 mM de DFOB en un extracto concentrado en 80% metanol. Este último se analizó mediante HPLC, donde mostró un único pico de absorbancia a tiempo de retención de 11,8 minutos, el cual es responsable de la actividad quelante del extracto. Estos hallazgos sugieren que R. erythropolis S43 produce un solo tipo de sideróforo (heterobactina) el cual es capaz de quelar hierro y arsénico. Este resultado abre una nueva perspectiva para enfrentar el problema de la contaminación con arsénico utilizando la capacidad quelante de los sideróforos bacterianosFil: Retamal Morales, Gerardo. Universidad de Santiago de ChileFil: Levicán, Gloria. Universidad de Santiago de ChileFil: Menhert, Marika. Technische Universität Bergakademie FreibergFil: Schlömann, Michael. Technische Universität Bergakademie FreibergFil: Schwabe, Ringo. Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiber