Extremely Thermoacidophilic Metallosphaera Species Mediate Mobilization and Oxidation of Vanadium and Molybdenum Oxides

Abstract

In order to effectively leverage extremely thermoacidophilic archaea for the microbially based solubilization of solid-phase metal substrates (e.g., sulfides and oxides), understanding the mechanisms by which these archaea solubilize metals is important. Physiological analysis of Metallosphaera species growth in the presence of molybdenum and vanadium oxides revealed an indirect mode of metal mobilization, catalyzed by iron cycling. However, since the mobilized metals exist in more than one oxidation state, they could potentially serve directly as energetic substrates. Transcriptomic response to molybdenum and vanadium oxides provided evidence for new biomolecules participating in direct metal biooxidation. The findings expand the knowledge on the physiological versatility of these extremely thermoacidophilic archaea.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2019
Source ID
10.1128/aem.02805-18

Entities

People

  • Arpan Mukherjee
  • Garrett H. Wheaton
  • Igor Podolsky
  • James A. Counts
  • Jessica A. Dulkis
  • Nicholas P. Vitko
  • Robert M. Kelly

Organizations

  • Defense Threat Reduction Agency
  • National Institutes of Health
  • North Carolina State University
  • United States Air Force
  • United States Department of Education

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Biology
  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Cellular and Molecular Pathways of Apoptosis.
  • Materials Science and Engineering.
  • Organic Chemistry

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology