Identification of Antimony- and Arsenic-Oxidizing Bacteria Associated with Antimony Mine Tailing

Hamamura, Natsuko; Fukushima, Kazuhiro; Itai, Takaaki

doi:10.1264/jsme2.me12217

Cited by 93 publications

(58 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Other enzymes capable of oxidizing Sb(III) obviously are present in strain 5A and in the organisms isolated by Shi et al (35) and Hamamura et al (36). The genome sequence of the Sb(III)-oxidizing bacterium Comamonas testosteroni S44 does not contain a recognizable aioBA (56) and is consistent with the inability of this strain to oxidize As(III).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 59%

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Arsenite Oxidase Also Functions as an Antimonite Oxidase

Wang

Warelow

Kang

et al. 2015

Appl Environ Microbiol

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e Arsenic and antimony are toxic metalloids and are considered priority environmental pollutants by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Significant advances have been made in understanding microbe-arsenic interactions and how they influence arsenic redox speciation in the environment. However, even the most basic features of how and why a microorganism detects and reacts to antimony remain poorly understood. Previous work with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain 5A concluded that oxidation of antimonite [Sb(III)] and arsenite [As(III)] required different biochemical pathways. Here, we show with in vivo experiments that a mutation in aioA [encoding the large subunit of As(III) oxidase] reduces the ability to oxidize Sb(III) by approximately one-third relative to the ability of the wild type. Further, in vitro studies with the purified As(III) oxidase from Rhizobium sp. strain NT-26 (AioA shares 94% amino acid sequence identity with AioA of A. tumefaciens) provide direct evidence of Sb(III) oxidation but also show a significantly decreased V max compared to that of As(III) oxidation. The aioBA genes encoding As(III) oxidase are induced by As(III) but not by Sb(III), whereas arsR gene expression is induced by both As(III) and Sb(III), suggesting that detection and transcriptional responses for As(III) and Sb(III) differ. While Sb(III) and As(III) are similar with respect to cellular extrusion (ArsB or Acr3) and interaction with ArsR, they differ in the regulatory mechanisms that control the expression of genes encoding the different Ars or Aio activities. In summary, this study documents an enzymatic basis for microbial Sb(III) oxidation, although additional Sb(III) oxidation activity also is apparent in this bacterium. T he metalloids arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) are members of group 15 of the periodic table and are ubiquitous in the environment. Both are poisonous and have oxidation states of Ϫ3, 0, ϩ3, and ϩ5, with the last two being the most prevalent in the environment (1-5). The release of both As and Sb into the environment can occur either naturally or anthropogenically (e.g., mining), and both are considered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to be priority environmental pollutants (6), with maximum drinking water standards of 10 ppb and 6 ppb for As and Sb, respectively (7). As has received more publicity due to As poisoning that has occurred and that continues (4, 8). However, Sb has emerged as a major contaminant in environments that contain mine tailings, such as those in China, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Europe (for example, see references 5 and 9-11).Microorganisms are fundamental to elemental cycling in all environments, and this includes As (12, 13) and presumably Sb, although information for the latter is quite sparse. As cycling has been well documented and at present is thought primarily to involve arsenite [As(III)]Narsenate [As(V)] redox transformations and As methylation and demethylation reactions. As(V) is reduced for detoxification purposes (via ArsC) or respiratory...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 59%

“…More recently, a diverse array of microorganisms that are highly resistant to Sb(III) or that readily oxidize it have been isolated (34)(35)(36), as have organisms capable of reducing Sb(V) (37,38). However, the mechanisms involved in these Sb redox reactions remain unknown.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Arsenite Oxidase Also Functions as an Antimonite Oxidase

Wang

Warelow

Kang

et al. 2015

Appl Environ Microbiol

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“…Moreover, in the case of Sb(III) adsorbed onto goethite, oxidation only occurs in the light and was pH dependent, increasing at pH values of Ͼ5 (107). Since the Sb(III)-oxidizing bacteria reported so far have all been isolated from neutral-pH-range environments (31,(109)(110)(111)(112)(113)(114)(115), it appears that microbes may play a major role of Sb(III) oxidation at circumneutral pH.…”

Section: Microbial Antimony Cyclementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Due to an increased focus on bacterial Sb(III) oxidation, Ͼ60 Sb(III)-oxidizing strains were isolated from mining soil (112)(113)(114) and contaminated sediments (115)(116)(117). Chemoautotrophy, as defined by Sb(III)-dependent growth and inorganic carbon fixation, is more difficult to achieve experimentally.…”

Section: Microbial Antimony Cyclementioning

confidence: 99%

“…2. The Sb(III)-oxidizing strains identified thus far belong to 17 genera, including Pseudomonas (22 strains), Comamonas (10 strains), Agrobacterium (8 strains), Acinetobacter (7 strains), Stenotrophomonas (3 strains), Variovorax (3 strains), Paracoccus (2 strains), Sphingopyxis (2 strains), Aminobacter (1 strain), Arthrobacter (1 strain), Bacillus (1 strain), Janibacter (1 strain), Stibiobacter (1 strain), Thiobacillus (1 strain), Hydrogenophaga (1 strain), Cupriavidus (1 strain), and Sinorhizobium (1 strain) (31,109,(111)(112)(113)(114)(115)(116). Among all of these Sb(III)-oxidizing strains, Pseudomonas, Comamonas, Agrobacterium, and Acinetobacter are four major genera that make up 34%, 15%, 12%, and 11% of known Sb(III)-oxidizing strains, respectively ( Fig.…”

Section: Microbial Antimony Cyclementioning

confidence: 99%

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Microbial Antimony Biogeochemistry: Enzymes, Regulation, and Related Metabolic Pathways

Wang

Oremland

et al. 2016

Appl Environ Microbiol

169

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e Antimony (Sb) is a toxic metalloid that occurs widely at trace concentrations in soil, aquatic systems, and the atmosphere. Nowadays, with the development of its new industrial applications and the corresponding expansion of antimony mining activities, the phenomenon of antimony pollution has become an increasingly serious concern. In recent years, research interest in Sb has been growing and reflects a fundamental scientific concern regarding Sb in the environment. In this review, we summarize the recent research on bacterial antimony transformations, especially those regarding antimony uptake, efflux, antimonite oxidation, and antimonate reduction. We conclude that our current understanding of antimony biochemistry and biogeochemistry is roughly equivalent to where that of arsenic was some 20 years ago. This portends the possibility of future discoveries with regard to the ability of microorganisms to conserve energy for their growth from antimony redox reactions and the isolation of new species of "antimonotrophs."

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