Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 116
Methane oxidation and molecular characterization of methanotrophs from a former mercury mine impoundment
The Herman Pit, once a mercury mine, is an impoundment located in an active geothermal area. Its acidic waters are permeated by hundreds of gas seeps. One seep was sampled and found to be composed of mostly CO2 with some CH4 present. The δ13CH4 value suggested a complex origin for the methane: i.e., a thermogenic component plus a biological methanogenic portion. The relatively 12C-enriched CO2 sug
Geomicrobial interactions with arsenic and antimony
Although arsenic and antimony are generally toxic to life, some microorganisms exist that can metabolize certain forms of these elements. Some can use arsenite or stibnite as potential or sole energy sources, whereas others can use aresenate and antimonite (as was discovered only recently) as terminal electron acceptors. Still other microbes can metabolize arsenic and antimony compounds to detoxif
Methane oxidation linked to chlorite dismutation
We examined the potential for CH4 oxidation to be coupled with oxygen derived from the dissimilatory reduction of perchlorate, chlorate, or via chlorite (ClO−2) dismutation. Although dissimilatory reduction of ClO−4 and ClO−3 could be inferred from the accumulation of chloride ions either in spent media or in soil slurries prepared from exposed freshwater lake sediment, neither of these oxyanions
Microbiological reduction of Sb(V) in anoxic freshwater sediments
Microbiological reduction of millimolar concentrations of Sb(V) to Sb(III) was observed in anoxic sediments from two freshwater settings: (1) a Sb- and As-contaminated mine site (Stibnite Mine) in central Idaho and 2) an uncontaminated suburban lake (Searsville Lake) in the San Francisco Bay Area. Rates of Sb(V) reduction in anoxic sediment microcosms and enrichment cultures were enhanced by amend
A biogeochemical and genetic survey of acetylene fermentation by environmental samples and bacterial isolates
Anoxic samples (sediment and groundwater) from 13 chemically diverse field sites were assayed for their ability to consume acetylene (C2H2). Over incubation periods ranging from ˜ 10 to 80 days, selected samples from 7 of the 13 tested sites displayed significant C2H2 removal. No significant formation of ethylene was noted in these incubations; therefore, C2H2 consumption could be attributed to ac
Desulfohalophilus alkaliarsenatis gen. nov., sp. nov., an extremely halophilic sulfate- and arsenate-respiring bacterium from Searles Lake, California
A haloalkaliphilic sulfate-respiring bacterium, strain SLSR-1, was isolated from a lactate-fed stable enrichment culture originally obtained from the extreme environment of Searles Lake, California. The isolate proved capable of growth via sulfate-reduction over a broad range of salinities (125–330 g/L), although growth was slowest at salt-saturation. Strain SLSR-1 was also capable of growth via d
ArxA, a new clade of arsenite oxidase within the DMSO reductase family of molybdenum oxidoreductases
Arsenotrophy, growth coupled to autotrophic arsenite oxidation or arsenate respiratory reduction, occurs only in the prokaryotic domain of life. The enzymes responsible for arsenotrophy belong to distinct clades within the DMSO reductase family of molybdenum-containing oxidoreductases: specifically arsenate respiratory reductase, ArrA, and arsenite oxidase, AioA (formerly referred to as AroA and A
Anaerobic oxidation of arsenite by autotrophic bacteria: The view from Mono Lake, California
Introduction
The phenomenon of arsenite [As(III)] oxidation by aerobic bacteria was first reported by Green (1918), and the many subsequent discoveries made in this realm, most occurring over the past three decades, are the primary focus of this book. In contrast, the fact that select anaerobes can also achieve this feat was an entirely serendipitous discovery. As often occurs in science, the inte
Response to comments on "A bacterium that can grow using arsenic instead of phosphorus"
Concerns have been raised about our recent study suggesting that arsenic (As) substitutes for phosphorus in major biomolecules of a bacterium that tolerates extreme As concentrations. We welcome the opportunity to better explain our methods and results and to consider alternative interpretations. We maintain that our interpretation of As substitution, based on multiple congruent lines of evidence,
Nanoparticles formed from bacterial oxyanion reduction of toxic Group 15 and 16 metalloids
This chapter presents some examples of nanoparticles formed by only a few microbial species that are cultivated in only a handful of laboratories worldwide. The investigations so far have just scratched the surface of the potential of the natural world to yield bionanomineral producers. While future research should involve screening surveys of the prokaryotes for this biomineralizing phenomenon, m
Science and Products
- Science
- Data
- Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 116
Methane oxidation and molecular characterization of methanotrophs from a former mercury mine impoundment
The Herman Pit, once a mercury mine, is an impoundment located in an active geothermal area. Its acidic waters are permeated by hundreds of gas seeps. One seep was sampled and found to be composed of mostly CO2 with some CH4 present. The δ13CH4 value suggested a complex origin for the methane: i.e., a thermogenic component plus a biological methanogenic portion. The relatively 12C-enriched CO2 sugGeomicrobial interactions with arsenic and antimony
Although arsenic and antimony are generally toxic to life, some microorganisms exist that can metabolize certain forms of these elements. Some can use arsenite or stibnite as potential or sole energy sources, whereas others can use aresenate and antimonite (as was discovered only recently) as terminal electron acceptors. Still other microbes can metabolize arsenic and antimony compounds to detoxifMethane oxidation linked to chlorite dismutation
We examined the potential for CH4 oxidation to be coupled with oxygen derived from the dissimilatory reduction of perchlorate, chlorate, or via chlorite (ClO−2) dismutation. Although dissimilatory reduction of ClO−4 and ClO−3 could be inferred from the accumulation of chloride ions either in spent media or in soil slurries prepared from exposed freshwater lake sediment, neither of these oxyanionsMicrobiological reduction of Sb(V) in anoxic freshwater sediments
Microbiological reduction of millimolar concentrations of Sb(V) to Sb(III) was observed in anoxic sediments from two freshwater settings: (1) a Sb- and As-contaminated mine site (Stibnite Mine) in central Idaho and 2) an uncontaminated suburban lake (Searsville Lake) in the San Francisco Bay Area. Rates of Sb(V) reduction in anoxic sediment microcosms and enrichment cultures were enhanced by amendA biogeochemical and genetic survey of acetylene fermentation by environmental samples and bacterial isolates
Anoxic samples (sediment and groundwater) from 13 chemically diverse field sites were assayed for their ability to consume acetylene (C2H2). Over incubation periods ranging from ˜ 10 to 80 days, selected samples from 7 of the 13 tested sites displayed significant C2H2 removal. No significant formation of ethylene was noted in these incubations; therefore, C2H2 consumption could be attributed to acDesulfohalophilus alkaliarsenatis gen. nov., sp. nov., an extremely halophilic sulfate- and arsenate-respiring bacterium from Searles Lake, California
A haloalkaliphilic sulfate-respiring bacterium, strain SLSR-1, was isolated from a lactate-fed stable enrichment culture originally obtained from the extreme environment of Searles Lake, California. The isolate proved capable of growth via sulfate-reduction over a broad range of salinities (125–330 g/L), although growth was slowest at salt-saturation. Strain SLSR-1 was also capable of growth via dArxA, a new clade of arsenite oxidase within the DMSO reductase family of molybdenum oxidoreductases
Arsenotrophy, growth coupled to autotrophic arsenite oxidation or arsenate respiratory reduction, occurs only in the prokaryotic domain of life. The enzymes responsible for arsenotrophy belong to distinct clades within the DMSO reductase family of molybdenum-containing oxidoreductases: specifically arsenate respiratory reductase, ArrA, and arsenite oxidase, AioA (formerly referred to as AroA and AAnaerobic oxidation of arsenite by autotrophic bacteria: The view from Mono Lake, California
Introduction The phenomenon of arsenite [As(III)] oxidation by aerobic bacteria was first reported by Green (1918), and the many subsequent discoveries made in this realm, most occurring over the past three decades, are the primary focus of this book. In contrast, the fact that select anaerobes can also achieve this feat was an entirely serendipitous discovery. As often occurs in science, the inteResponse to comments on "A bacterium that can grow using arsenic instead of phosphorus"
Concerns have been raised about our recent study suggesting that arsenic (As) substitutes for phosphorus in major biomolecules of a bacterium that tolerates extreme As concentrations. We welcome the opportunity to better explain our methods and results and to consider alternative interpretations. We maintain that our interpretation of As substitution, based on multiple congruent lines of evidence,Nanoparticles formed from bacterial oxyanion reduction of toxic Group 15 and 16 metalloids
This chapter presents some examples of nanoparticles formed by only a few microbial species that are cultivated in only a handful of laboratories worldwide. The investigations so far have just scratched the surface of the potential of the natural world to yield bionanomineral producers. While future research should involve screening surveys of the prokaryotes for this biomineralizing phenomenon, m