Analysis of the surface proteins of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans</Emphasis> strain SP5/1 and the new,pyrite-oxidizing <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acidithiobacillus</Emphasis> isolate HV2/2, and their possible involvement in pyrite oxidation |
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Authors: | Andreas Klingl Christine Moissl-Eichinger Gerhard Wanner Josef Zweck Harald Huber Michael Thomm Reinhard Rachel |
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Institution: | 1.Centre for Electron Microscopy at the Institute for Anatomy,University of Regensburg,Regensburg,Germany;2.Institute for Microbiology and Archaea Center,University of Regensburg,Regensburg,Germany;3.Biocentre,University of Munich,Munich,Germany;4.Centre for EM at the Institute of Physics,University of Regensburg,Regensburg,Germany |
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Abstract: | Two strains of rod-shaped, pyrite-oxidizing acidithiobacilli, their cell envelope structure and their interaction with pyrite
were investigated in this study. Cells of both strains, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans strain SP5/1 and the moderately thermophilic Acidithiobacillus sp. strain HV2/2, were similar in size, with slight variations in length and diameter. Two kinds of cell appendages were observed:
flagella and pili. Besides a typical Gram-negative cell architecture with inner and outer membrane, enclosing a periplasm,
both strains were covered by a hitherto undescribed, regularly arranged 2-D protein crystal with p2-symmetry. In A. ferrooxidans, this protein forms a stripe-like structure on the surface. A similar surface pattern with almost identical lattice vectors
was also seen on the cells of strain HV2/2. For the surface layer of both bacteria, a direct contact to pyrite crystals was
observed in ultrathin sections, indicating that the S-layer is involved in maintaining this contact site. Observations on
an S-layer-deficient strain show, however, that cell adhesion does not strictly depend on the presence of the S-layer and
that this surface protein has an influence on cell shape. Furthermore, the presented data suggest the ability of the S-layer
protein to complex Fe3+ ions, suggesting a role in the physiology of the microorganisms. |
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