A Comparative Study of the Biodesulfurization Efficiency of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans LY01 Cells Domesticated with Ferrous Iron and Pyrite

The high-sulfur coal desulfurization process completed by A. ferrooxidans LY01 cells domesticated with either ferrous iron [Fe(II)] or pyrite (FeS₂) was investigated in this article. The desulfurization rate for 13 d was as high as 67.8% for the LY01 cells domesticated with pyrite but was only 45.6% for the LY01 cells domesticated with Fe(II). Bacterial adsorption experiments indicated that the bacterial adsorption quantity onto the pyrite particles was similar to the desulfurization efficiency. FTIR analysis showed that chemical composition of the two cell types was similar, but the LY01 cells domesticated with pyrite had higher levels of hydrophobic aromatic R-O groups than cells domesticated with Fe(II). The amount of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from the pyrite-domesticated LY01 cells was 1820 μg C/10¹⁰ cells, which was five times more than the amount of EPS in the Fe(II)-domesticated cells; the EPS readily bound Fe(III) with a maximum binding capacity of 0.21 mg Fe(III) per mg C EPS. Strains of pyrite-domesticated LY01 with a high amount of Fe(III) in their EPS possess greater oxidation activity than Fe(II)-domesticated strains with fewer Fe(III). These experiments showed the importance of the substrate-specific differences in the oxidative activity of A. ferrooxidans LY01. In addition, this study provides theoretical guidance for the future optimization of the biodesulfurization process.     

Sulfur Transformation in Microbially Mediated Pyrite Oxidation by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans: Insights From X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy-Based Quantitative Depth Profiling

The oxidation of pyrite and other sulfides is responsible for the generation of acid mine drainage and acid rock drainage, which leads to further contamination of soil and water. In these processes, microbial oxidation usually prevails over chemical oxidation. To determine the mechanism of microbial oxidation of pyrite, the interaction of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans with pyrite was comprehensively studied, and the sulfur transformation in the interaction was disclosed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) depth profiling. Abundant bacterial cells attach to pyrite surface and form biofilms, which greatly enhances surface corrosion and results in two types of etching pits: bacteria-driven rod-shaped and chemically driven hexagonal etching pits. The details of XPS depth profiles on a reacted pyrite surface reveal that the surface sulfur was first oxidized into elemental sulfur. Thereafter, elemental sulfur was further oxidized to intermediate species S₂O₃^2?, SO₃^2?, and ultimately to SO₄^2?. The oxidation sequence of sulfur is S₂^2?/S^2?→S_n^2?, S⁰→SO₃^2?, and S₂O₃^2?→SO₄^2?. Meanwhile, the remnant ferrous iron in the surface layer was released into solution and subsequently oxidized into Fe³⁺ by A. ferrooxidans and dissolved oxygen, which in turn enhanced the oxidation of sulfur. Fe³⁺, sulfate, and other ions (e.g., K⁺, Na⁺, NH₄⁺) in the solution precipitated as jarosite, hydroniumjarosite, and ammoniojarosite. On the basis of results, a three-staged model is proposed to interpret the kinetics of microbial oxidation of pyrite.     

A direct observation of bacterial coverage and biofilm formation by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans on chalcopyrite and pyrite surfaces

To obtain a fundamental understanding of the population behaviour of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans at chalcopyrite and pyrite surfaces, the early stage attachment behaviour and biofilm formation by this bacterium on chalcopyrite (CuFeS₂) and pyrite (FeS₂) were studied by optical microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The results indicate there was no significant difference in selectivity of bacterial attachment between chalcopyrite and pyrite. However, the result of ToF-SIMS analysis suggests that the surface of the pyrite was covered more extensively by biofilm than that of the chalcopyrite, which may indicate more extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) formation by bacterial cells growing on pyrite. EBSD and optical image analysis indicated that selectivity of bacterial attachment to chalcopyrite was not significantly affected by crystal orientation. The results also suggest that the bacterial population in defective areas of chalcopyrite was significantly higher than on the polished surfaces.     

固定化Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans对Fe2+氧化及其生物反应器研究进展

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans 对Fe2+的生物氧化是一个非常重要的反应过程, 在生物浸矿、H2S等废气的脱硫、含重金属污泥和酸性矿坑废水的处理等领域有着重要的应用。近些年来,大量的研究主要集中A. ferrooxidans及其反应过程等方面,然而,A. ferrooxidans对Fe2+的催化氧化速率缓慢和稳定性欠佳等问题仍然限制了其商业应用。因此,对A. ferrooxidans的固定化及其生物反应器研究是该技术进一步发展的关键。本文评述了A. ferrooxidans最新应用、存在的问题和解决办法,重点比较了目前文献中报道的各种A. ferrooxidans固定材料、方法,并对目前采用的各种固定化A. ferrooxidans生物反应系统的效率和结构等方面进行了讨论和分析。     

氧化亚铁硫杆菌中铜代谢相关两个基因的差异

目的:氧化亚铁硫杆菌(Acidithiobocllius ferrooxidans)在微生物冶金中发挥着重要的作用,研究其铜代谢机理有着十分典型的意义.在A.ferrooxidans全基因组序列数据库中,4个基因被注释与铜代谢相关.其中两个基因,Afe0454和Afe1073目前为止未发现有实验报道.本文旨在研究Afe0454和Afe1073与铜代谢的相关性.方法:通过一系列的方法如实时定量PER、反转录PER、序列分析,将基因导入抗铜基因缺陷的大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)菌株中等,研究了Afe0454和Afe1073.结果:与Afe0454相比,Afe1073的表达对铜压力更敏感;Afe1073作为一个转录子单独转录,而Afe0454与Afe0453一起转录;序列分析显示Afe1073表达一种典型的重金属离子泵P1b1型ATP酶,而Afe0454表达一种未知功能的跨膜蛋白;不像Afe0454,Afe1073能使P1b型ATP酶敲除的大肠杆菌菌株铜抗性提高.结论:单独转录的Afe1073比Afe0454在铜代谢中发挥的作用更加明显.     

嗜酸氧化亚铁硫杆菌基因组分泌蛋白的初步分析

利用信号肽预测软件SignalP v3.0、跨膜螺旋结构预测软件TMHMM v2.0和非经典分泌蛋白预测软件SecretomeP对嗜酸氧化亚铁硫杆菌全基因组的3 218个氨基酸序列进行预测分析.结果表明在嗜酸氧化亚铁硫杆菌中有507个蛋白为分泌蛋白,其中分泌型信号肽120个(其中有9个为RR-motif亚组型信号肽),脂蛋白信号肽3个,Prepilin-like信号肽4个,非经典分泌蛋白380个.并对分泌型信号肽的长度分布、氨基酸使用频率和酶切位点的氨基酸使用频率作了统计.得分最高的100个非经典分泌蛋白中,有36个具有功能分类,主要是参与细胞壁、能量代谢及转运和结合的蛋白质.嗜酸氧化亚铁硫杆菌的这507个分泌蛋白所参与的生化过程可能发生在膜外的周质空间或是菌体外的场所,为该物种与矿物相互作用,以及对环境做出响应服务.     

Sulfur Species Investigation in Extra- and Intracellular Sulfur Globules of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus caldus

The sulfur chemical speciation in extracellular and intracellular sulfur globules of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus caldus were investigated with an integrated approach including scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy (XANES). The results indicated that both strains can accumulate extracellular sulfur globules when grown on thiosulfate, and the major sulfur chemical speciation of which were S₈ for A. ferrooxidans and mixture of ring sulfur and polythionate for A. caldus, respectively. In contrast, A. ferrooxidans can accumulate both linear sulfur and S₈ internally when grown with sulfur powder and thiosulfate, whereas A. caldus did not accumulate intracellular sulfur globules. In addition, the fitted results of sulfur K-edge XANES spectra indicated that the reduced glutathione (containing thiols groups) were involved in sulfur bio-oxidation of both strains and the tetrathionate were the intermediate products during thiosulfate metabolism by two strains.     

Inter- and intraspecific genomic variability of the 16S-23S intergenic spacer regions (ISR) in representatives of Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

The complete sequences of 32 intergenic spacer regions (ISR) from Acidithiobacillus strains, including 29 field strains isolated from coal, copper, molybdenum mine wastes or sediment of different geoclimatic regions in China, reference strain ATCC19859 and the type strains of the two species were determined. These data, together with other sequences available in the GenBank database, were used to carry out the first detailed assessment of the inter- and intraspecific genomic variability of the ISR sequences and to infer phylogenetic relationships within the genus. The total length of the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer regions of the Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans strains ranged from 451 to 490 bp, and from 434 to 456 bp, respectively. The degree of intrageneric ISR sequence similarity was higher than the degree of intergeneric similarity, and the overall similarity values of the ISRs varied from 60.49% to 84.71% between representatives of different species of the genus Acidithiobacillus. Sequences from the spacer of the A. thiooxidans and A. ferrooxidans strains ranged from 86.71% to 99.56% and 92.36% to 100% similarity, respectively. All Acidithiobacillus strains were separated into three phylogenetic major clusters and seven phylogenetic groups. ISR may be a potential target for the development of in situ hybridization probe aimed at accurately detecting acidithiobacilli in the various acidic environments.     

矿物作用下A.ferrooxidans中磁小体相关基因的差异表达

目的:研究氧化亚铁硫杆菌(Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans,A.f)中与磁小体形成相关的mpsA、magA、thy和mamB基因分别在黄铁矿、黄铜矿、磁黄铁矿和闪锌矿的作用下的表达差异,寻找有利于磁小体形成的最佳培养矿物能源。方法:测量以不同硫化矿为能源时的菌体生长特性,用实时定量PCR方法研究与磁小体形成相关基因的表达差异。结果:在以磁黄铁矿为能源时,菌的生长量及多数基因的表达量优于其它三种矿,四个基因相对表达量分别为1.15、2.35、1.32、2.68。结论:磁黄铁矿是A.f中磁小体形成的最佳矿物能源。     

嗜酸氧化亚铁硫杆菌亚铁氧化酶基因分子多态性研究

嗜酸氧化亚铁硫杆菌（Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, A.f）属于化能自养、革兰氏阴性细菌,好氧嗜酸,以氧化亚铁离子或还原态硫化物（S0&S2-）获得能量生长。在其Fe2+氧化系统中,亚铁氧化酶起重要作用。对不同硫化矿区分离得到的5株A.f进行生长动力学和对亚铁氧化活性的对比研究,结果显示不同菌株之间存在表型差异。提取A.f菌株的基因组DNA,设计引物,对亚铁氧化酶基因进行PCR扩增,同时对扩增产物直接进行测序,并同GenBank的参考序列进行比对分析,发现序列相似性在99%～97%之间,分析编码区域发现在第187～195位可能存在一个高变异区：在第187～189位,菌株YTW编码的氨基酸Thr→Pro;而在第193～195位,菌株TK是Met→Asn; 菌株BY则是Met→Ile。另外在位点第219位,所有菌株都是T→C,但编码的氨基酸未发生变化,属于同义密码子。对于编码区上游序列,比对后没有差异;而对于编码区下游序列,经比对发现存在一些差异位点。     

嗜酸氧化亚铁硫杆菌的高效培养及浸出黄铜矿初探

采用向硫化矿培养基中补加FeSO4的方式以维持Fe2+ 浓度为4～8 g/L,可使嗜酸氧化亚铁硫杆菌菌浓在培养39 h时达到6.25×108 cells/mL,并在比生长速率几乎不降低的前提下提高了转化率和生产强度.然后对低氧化还原电位下低品位黄铜矿的浸出进行初步研究,结果表明经过30 d浸出,铜的浸出率可达28.5%...     

葡萄糖对嗜酸氧化亚铁硫杆菌与Acidiphilium acidophilum共培养的影响

【目的】深入了解自养的嗜酸氧化亚铁硫杆菌(Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans)与异养的Acidiphilium acidophilum之间的协同作用, 为嗜酸异养微生物在生物浸出体系和酸性矿坑水(AMD)等极端酸性环境中的生态功能研究提供基础, 并为AMD环境的修复提供参考。【方法】应用实时荧光定量PCR (RT-qPCR)及特异性引物, 定量At. ferrooxidans与Aph. acidophilum在类似自然状态下的共培养物受葡萄糖抑制时的生物量变化, 同时检测其生长过程中Fe2+氧化和pH值的变化。【结果】无论是否加入葡萄糖, 共培养对Fe2+氧化的效率均较At. ferrooxidans纯培养高。当葡萄糖浓度为5 g/L时, At. ferrooxidans纯培养失去对Fe2+的氧化能力, 而共培养仍能在100 h内将所有的Fe2+氧化完, 且加入葡萄糖越多的培养体系氧化终点的pH值也越高。在不加入葡萄糖的条件下, At. ferrooxidans 与Aph. acidophilum 数量比在100:1的数量级, 表明以这两种菌为代表的自养菌和异养菌在自然条件下生物量的比例。无论纯培养还是共培养的At. ferrooxidans数量均随葡萄糖浓度的提高而减少, 且延滞期则变长; 而异养生长的Aph. acidophilum则相反。【结论】适合进行Fe2+氧化的At. ferrooxidans与Aph. acidophilum的数量比例范围应在100:1的数量级。由于Aph. acidophilum能促进At. ferrooxidans对亚铁的氧化, 并能缓解或消除葡萄糖对At. ferrooxidans的抑制, 所以不能以加入类似于葡萄糖的有机物作为AMD环境生物修复的手段。     

嗜酸异养菌对自养菌Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans金属离子抗性和生物浸出的影响

【目的】了解嗜酸异养菌在诸如酸性矿坑水(AMD)和生物浸出体系等极端酸性环境中对浸矿微生物产生的影响。【方法】研究由嗜酸异养菌Acidiphilium acidophilum和自养菌Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans经长期驯化后形成的共培养体系分别在Cd2+、Cu2+、Ni2+和Mg2+胁迫下的稳定性;并将此共培养体系应用于黄铁矿和低品位黄铜矿的生物浸出实验。【结果】在上述4种金属离子分别存在的条件下,异养菌Aph.acidophilum均能促进At.ferrooxidans对亚铁的氧化,提高其对能源利用的效率。共培养体系中的异养菌Aph.acidophilum使At.ferrooxidans对Cu2+的最大耐受浓度(MTC)由2.0 g/L提高到5.0 g/L,而且共培养的细胞数量与2.0 g/L Cu2+条件下生长的At.ferrooxidans纯培养相似。另外,共培养中的At.ferrooxidans对Mg2+的MTC也由12.0 g/L提高到17.0 g/L。生物浸出实验中嗜酸异养菌Aph.acidophilum促进了At.ferrooxidans对黄铁矿样品的浸出,浸出率较其纯培养提高了22.7%;但在含铁量较低的低品位黄铜矿浸出体系中共培养和At.ferrooxidans纯培养的浸出率均低于33%。在加入2.0 g/L Fe2+的低品位黄铜矿浸出体系中,共培养和At.ferrooxidans纯培养的浸出率均得到提高,分别达到52.22%和41.27%。【结论】以上结果表明,Aph.acidophilum与At.ferrooxidans共培养在一定的环境胁迫下仍能保持其稳定性并完成各自的生态功能,并且嗜酸异养菌Aph.acidophilum适合在含铁量较高的浸出体系中与铁氧化细菌共同作用来提高生物浸出的效率。     

氧化亚铁硫杆菌的分离及其培养条件优化

目的:获得可应用于烟气脱硫的菌株,并对其培养条件进行优化.方法:从化工厂取土样分离氧化亚铁硫杆菌,分析分离菌株的形态学特征、培养特征及16S rDNA序列,确定菌株的分类地位.通过单因子实验,对培养基中主要成分硫酸亚铁和硫酸铵的浓度进行优化.利用SAS软件中的Box-Behnken法设计实验,通过响应面分析对初始pH、温度、接种量、装液量4个因素进行优化.结果:获得菌株N16,经鉴定为嗜酸性氧化亚铁硫杆菌(Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans).确定FeSO_4·7H_2O和(NH_4)_2SO_4的最适添加量分别为60/L和1g/L.确定菌株最适培养条件为:初始pH 1.8,温度28℃,转速150r/min,接种量15%,装液量30mL.在最适培养墓及培养条件下,菌株N16的亚铁氧化率可达99.78%.结论:分离得到的菌株适合于微生物法烟气脱硫的应用.     

微生物接种密度和矿物收集时间对生物沥浸中次生铁矿物形成的影响

在嗜酸性氧化亚铁硫杆菌Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans作用下, 污泥生物沥浸体系中常会有次生铁矿物形成, 这些矿物对污泥脱水和重金属溶出有重要影响。在FeSO4-K2SO4-H2O生物成矾临界点模拟生物沥浸过程, 考察了Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans菌接种密度和矿物收集时间对次生铁矿物的影响。结果表明, 微生物接种密度和矿物收集时间对生物沥浸过程中次生铁矿物的重量及其类型均有一定影响, 随矿物收集时间的推迟, 溶液中含有的一价阳离子(如K+等)可导致施氏矿物向黄铁矾发生转变, 并成为影响铁矿物类型的主导因素。     

Kinetic studies on elemental sulfur oxidation by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans: sulfur limitation and activity of free and adsorbed bacteria

The kinetics of sulfur oxidation by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans in shaking flasks and a 10-L reactor was studied. The observed linearity of growth and sulfur oxidation was explained by sulfur limitation. Total cell yield was not significantly different for exponential growth as compared to growth during the sulfur-limiting phase. Kinetic studies of sulfur oxidation by growing and nongrowing bacteria indicated that both free and adsorbed bacteria oxidize sulfur. Changes in the number of free bacteria rather than cells adsorbed on sulfur were better predictors of the kinetics of sulfur oxidation, indicating that the free bacteria were performing sulfur oxidation. The active growth phase always followed adsorption of bacteria on sulfur; however, the special metabolic role of adsorbed bacteria was unclear. Their activity in sulfur solubilization was considered.     

Isolation and Characterization of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans Strain D3-2 Active in Copper Bioleaching from a Copper Mine in Chile

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans strain D3-2, which has a high copper bioleaching activity, was isolated from a low-grade sulfide ore dump in Chile. The amounts of Cu²⁺ solubilized from 1% chalcopyrite (CuFeS₂) concentrate medium (pH 2.5) by A. ferrooxidans strains D3-2, D3-6, and ATCC 23270 and 33020 were 1360, 1080, 650, and 600 mg·l ^?1·30 d^?1. The iron oxidase activities of D3-2, D3-6, and ATCC 23270 were 11.7, 13.2, and 27.9 μl O₂ uptake·mg protein^?1·min^?1. In contrast, the sulfite oxidase activities of strains D3-2, D3-6, and ATCC 23270 were 5.8, 2.9, and 1.0 μl O₂ uptake·mg protein^?1·min^?1. Both of cell growth and Cu-bioleaching activity of strains D3-6 and ATCC 23270, but not, of D3-2, in the chalcopyrite concentrate medium were completely inhibited in the presence of 5 mM sodium bisulfite. The sulfite oxidase of strain D3-2 was much more resistant to sulfite ion than that of strain ATCC 23270. Since sulfite ion is a highly toxic intermediate produced during sulfur oxidation that strongly inhibits iron oxidase activity, these results confirm that strain D3-2, with a unique sulfite resistant-sulfite oxidase, was able to solubilize more copper from chalcopyrite than strain ATCC 23270, with a sulfite-sensitive sulfite oxidase.     

红海榄根部盐胁迫反应的比较蛋白质组学分析

红海榄(Rhizophora stylosa)是一种典型的红树林盐生植物.本研究利用蛋白组学技术对淡栽(R0)和3% NaCl盐栽(R3)处理后的红海榄根部总蛋白进行了比较研究.双向电泳图谱的结果表明,R0和R3分别有981和972个蛋白点,蛋白点主要集中在分子量28～70 kD,等电点4.0～8.5之间. R0和R3之间差异明显的有15个蛋白点.其中,8个蛋白的表达量在R0中表达增高（10倍）,而在R3中相对下降.另外,7个蛋白的表达量在R0中较低,而在R3中表达量显著增高.对这15个蛋白点进行肽质量指纹图谱分析,10个蛋白点找到匹配蛋白.功能预测分析发现,在盐水栽培上调的蛋白质一般与逆境胁迫有关,淡水栽培上调的蛋白质一般与基本代谢有关.这些研究结果为进一步研究红海榄的耐盐机理提供了有意义的线索.     

The effect of CO2 availability on the growth, iron oxidation and CO2-fixation rates of pure cultures of Leptospirillum ferriphilum and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

Understanding how bioleaching systems respond to the availability of CO(2) is essential to developing operating conditions that select for optimum microbial performance. Therefore, the effect of inlet gas and associated dissolved CO(2) concentration on the growth, iron oxidation and CO(2) -fixation rates of pure cultures of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Leptospirillum ferriphilum was investigated in a batch stirred tank system. The minimum inlet CO(2) concentrations required to promote the growth of At. ferrooxidans and L. ferriphilum were 25 and 70 ppm, respectively, and corresponded to dissolved CO(2) concentrations of 0.71 and 1.57 μM (at 30°C and 37°C, respectively). An actively growing culture of L. ferriphilum was able to maintain growth at inlet CO(2) concentrations less than 30 ppm (0.31-0.45 μM in solution). The highest total new cell production and maximum specific growth rates from the stationary phase inocula were observed with CO(2) inlet concentrations less than that of air. In contrast, the amount of CO(2) fixed per new cell produced increased with increasing inlet CO(2) concentrations above 100 ppm. Where inlet gas CO(2) concentrations were increased above that of air the additional CO(2) was consumed by the organisms but did not lead to increased cell production or significantly increase performance in terms of iron oxidation. It is proposed that At. ferrooxidans has two CO(2) uptake mechanisms, a high affinity system operating at low available CO(2) concentrations, which is subject to substrate inhibition and a low affinity system operating at higher available CO(2) concentrations. L. ferriphilum has a single uptake system characterised by a moderate CO(2) affinity. At. ferrooxidans performed better than L. ferriphilum at lower CO(2) availabilities, and was less affected by CO(2) starvation. Finally, the results demonstrate the limitations of using CO(2) uptake or ferrous iron oxidation data as indirect measures of cell growth and performance across varying physiological conditions.