In this study, arsenic resistant bacteria were isolated from sediments of an arsenic contaminated river. Arsenic tolerance of bacteria isolated was carried out by serial dilution on agar plate. Redox abilities were investigated using KMnO4. arsC and aox genes were detected by PCR and RT-PCR, respectively. Bacterial populations were identified by RapID system. Forty nine bacterial strains were isolated, of these, 55 % corresponded to the reducing bacteria, 4% to oxidizing bacteria, 8% presented both activities and in 33% of the bacteria none activity was detected. arsC gene was detected in 11 strains and aox genes were not detected. The activity of arsenic transforming microorganisms in river sediment has significant implications for the behavior of the metalloid.

Arsenic is naturally present in rocks, soil, water, and air. It is released to the environment by natural processes such as volcanic eruptions, and rock erosion. In this study, two arsenite-oxidizing strains were isolated from volcanic rocks obtained from the Camarones Valley, Atacama Desert, Chile. Strains were isolated from biofilms and identified by 16s ARNr sequences analysis. aox genes were detected by RT-PCR. The arsenic oxidation ability was assayed with silver nitrate and HPLC-HG-AAS. Four arsenite-resistant strains were isolated (8 mM). RT-PCR analysis showed the presence of aox genes in UC-2 and UC-6 strains. In addition, UC-2 and UC-6 strains were able to oxidize 90 and 95% arsenite present in the medium to arsenate, at a rate of 9.3 and 9.8 microg ml(-1) h(-1 )respectively. Bicarbonate (HCO(3) (-)) was used as unique carbon source. Finally, the significative oxidation capacity shown by both strains opens the way to further studies aimed at implementing biological systems to treat arsenic rich wastewater.

RESUMENEl arsénico se encuentra en estado natural en rocas, suelo, agua, aire y es liberado al ambiente mediante fenómenos naturales tales como erupciones volcánicas, erosión de las rocas e incendios forestales, donde los microorganismos son esenciales para el ecosistema por su participación en diferentes procesos naturales. El objetivo del trabajo fue aislar bacterias resistentes a arsénico, desde muestras de rocas provenientes de la Quebrada Camarones, región Parinacota, Chile. Las rocas fueron cultivadas en un medio mineral adicionado con arsenito (500 ug/ml) durante 7 días a temperatura ambiente y con agitación. Las cepas fueron aisladas en diferentes medios e identificadas mediante el sistema Rapid™NF plus. La capacidad de oxidar arsénico fue realizada mediante el ensayo cualitativo con nitrato de plata y la detección de genes aox, mediante RT-PCR. La reducción de arsénico fue evaluada mediante la amplificación de los genes ars por PCR. Se aislaron bacilos Gram negativos, no fermentadores, identificados como Pseudomonas alcaligenes y Wautersia solanacearum todas ellas capaces de tolerar concentraciones igual o mayor a 8 mM de As(III). Los análisis mediante RT-PCR demuestran la presencia de genes aox, que codifica para una enzima oxidante que cataliza la oxidación de As(III) a As(V). La capacidad de oxidar arsenito de las cepas aisladas, favorecería la colonización de otras especies no tolerantes a arsénico importantes en los ciclos biogeoquímicos. PALABRAS CLAVES: Arsenito, arseniato, Wautersia solanacearum, Pseudomonas alcaligenes. ABSTRACTArsenic is naturally present in rocks, soil, water, and air, being released to the environment by natural processes such as volcanic eruptions, and erosion rock. Microorganisms are known to play an important role in the Arsenic natural cycle. The aim of this work was isolate arsenic resistant bacteria to volcanic rocks, from Quebrada Camarones, Parinacota Region, Chile. Rocks were cultured in an arsenite conditioned mineral broth (500 ug/mL) over 7 days at ambient temperature, under stirring. Strains were isolated using different medium and identified by Rapid™NF plus system. The arsenic oxidation capacity was assayed with silver nitrate, and aox genes were detected by RT-PCR. Arsenic reduction was evaluated means ars gene amplification by PCR. Gram negative no fermentative bacillum, identified as Pseudomonas alcaligenes and Wautersia solanacearum able to tolerate concentrations above 8 mM As(III) were isolated. RT-PCR analysis showed the presence of aox, genes; these codify an oxidant enzyme that catalyses As(III) oxidation to As(V). The Arsenic oxidation capacity of the isolated seeds would favor colonization by other non tolerant species participating in biogeochemical cycles.

Bioaerosols are transported from warm regions and lower latitudes of the planet to colder regions and higher latitudes, such as the Chilean Patagonia. The role of bioaerosols deposition in remote lake ecosystems is a potentially important process, but it has not yet been fully studied. The aim of this study was to detect and characterize potentially pathogenic viable microorganisms in bioaerosols in a pristine area. Samples were collected from the air, at three remote lakes in the Chilean Patagonia, using a sterile filtration system equipped with 0.2-lm-pore-size nitrocellulose filters. The bacterial community present in bioaerosols was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Isolates were identified and characterized for phenotypic and 16S rDNA analysis and antibiotic resistance. SEM observations of samples from each lake showed the presence of bacteria with different morphologies, and after culturing, the identification results revealed that they were strains of Acinetobacter, Alcaligenes, Edwarsiella, Pseudomonas, Burklolderia, Moraxella, Sphingomonas and CDC NO-1. CDC NO-1, uncommonly isolated worldwide, stands out from the rest of the isolates because it is a rarely found bacterium so far associated with dog and cat bites and was found at two out of three pristine lakes studied (Alto and Verde). This work demonstrates, for the first time, the presence of CDC NO-1, a clinically important Gram-negative microorganism, in bioaerosols and first report of CDC-NO1 isolation in Chile. Besides its presence in remote lakes, its antibiotic resistance is worth mentioning.