Biotransformation of the pesticide sodium arsenate

A significant 19th century public health problem was that the inhabitants of many houses containing wallpaper decorated with green arsenical pigments experienced illness and death. The problem was caused by certain fungi that grew in the presence of inorganic arsenic to form a toxic, garlic-odored gas. The garlic odor was actually put to use in a very delicate microbiological test for arsenic. In 1933, the gas was shown to be trimethylarsine. It was not until 1971 that arsenic methylation by bacteria was demonstrated. Further research in biomethylation has been facilitated by the development of delicate techniques for the determination of arsenic species. As described in this review, many microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, and yeasts) and animals are now known to biomethylate arsenic, forming both volatile (e.g., methylarsines) and nonvolatile (e.g., methylarsonic acid and dimethylarsinic acid) compounds. The enzymatic mechanisms for this biomethylation are discussed. The microbial conversion of sodium arsenate to trimethylarsine proceeds by alternate reduction and methylation steps, with S-adenosylmethionine as the usual methyl donor. Thiols have important roles in the reductions. In anaerobic bacteria, methylcobalamin may be the donor. The other metalloid elements of the periodic table group 15, antimony and bismuth, also undergo biomethylation to some extent. Trimethylstibine formation by microorganisms is now well established, but this process apparently does not occur in animals. Formation of trimethylbismuth by microorganisms has been reported in a few cases. Microbial methylation plays important roles in the biogeochemical cycling of these metalloid elements and possibly in their detoxification. The wheel has come full circle, and public health considerations are again important

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“…The Pseudomonas sp. formed all three of the methylated arsines (214). Arsenic accumulated by the cells was in a protein fraction (212).…”

Section: Bacteriamentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbial Methylation of Metalloids: Arsenic, Antimony, and Bismuth

Bentley

Chasteen

2002

Microbiol Mol Biol Rev

518

316

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“…Three bacterial species, Corynebacterium sp., E. coli, and Proteus sp., produced Me 2 AsH (Shariatpanahi et al, 1981). Six bacterial species (Achromobacter sp., Aeromonas sp., Alcaligenes sp., Flavobacterium sp.,) produced both MeAsH 2 and Me 2 AsH from methylarsonate; Pseudomonas sp.…”

Section: Bacteriamentioning

confidence: 99%

A review on completing arsenic biogeochemical cycle: Microbial volatilization of arsines in environment

Wang¹,

Sun²,

Jia³

et al. 2014

Journal of Environmental Sciences

149

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a b s t r a c t Arsenic (As) is ubiquitous in the environment in the carcinogenic inorganic forms, posing risks to human health in many parts of the world. Many microorganisms have evolved a series of mechanisms to cope with inorganic arsenic in their growth media such as transforming As compounds into volatile derivatives. Bio-volatilization of As has been suggested to play an important role in global As biogeochemical cycling, and can also be explored as a potential method for arsenic bioremediation. This review aims to provide an overview of the quality and quantity of As volatilization by fungi, bacteria, microalga and protozoans. Arsenic bio-volatilization is influenced by both biotic and abiotic factors that can be manipulated/elucidated for the purpose of As bioremediation. Since As biovolatilization is a resurgent topic for both biogeochemistry and environmental health, our review serves as a concept paper for future research directions.

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“…Pseudomonas species are widespread in both aquatic environments and soils and may play an important role in the As biogeochemical cycle (25)(26)(27)(28). Some bacterial strains have been proposed to methylate As to different chemical species.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Arsenic Methylation and Volatilization by Arsenite S -Adenosylmethionine Methyltransferase in Pseudomonas alcaligenes NBRC14159

Zhang

Cao

Tang

et al. 2015

Appl Environ Microbiol

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c Inorganic arsenic (As) is highly toxic and ubiquitous in the environment. Inorganic As can be transformed by microbial methylation, which constitutes an important part of the As biogeochemical cycle. In this study, we investigated As biotransformation by Pseudomonas alcaligenes NBRC14159. P. alcaligenes was able to methylate arsenite [As(III)] rapidly to dimethylarsenate and small amounts of trimethylarsenic oxide. An arsenite S-adenosylmethionine methyltransferase, PaArsM, was identified and functionally characterized. PaArsM shares low similarities with other reported ArsM enzymes (<55%). When P. alcaligenes arsM gene (PaarsM) was disrupted, the mutant lost As methylation ability and became more sensitive to As(III). PaarsM was expressed in the absence of As(III) and the expression was further enhanced by As(III) exposure. Heterologous expression of PaarsM in an As-hypersensitive strain of Escherichia coli conferred As(III) resistance. Purified PaArsM protein methylated As(III) to dimethylarsenate as the main product in the medium and also produced dimethylarsine and trimethylarsine gases. We propose that PaArsM plays a role in As methylation and detoxification of As(III) and could be exploited in bioremediation of As-contaminated environments.

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Biotransformation of the pesticide sodium arsenate

Cited by 49 publications

References 5 publications

Microbial Methylation of Metalloids: Arsenic, Antimony, and Bismuth

Microbial Methylation of Metalloids: Arsenic, Antimony, and Bismuth

A review on completing arsenic biogeochemical cycle: Microbial volatilization of arsines in environment

Arsenic Methylation and Volatilization by Arsenite S -Adenosylmethionine Methyltransferase in Pseudomonas alcaligenes NBRC14159

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