Title

In situ Spectroscopy Reveals that Microorganisms in Different Phyla Use Different Electron Transfer Biomolecules to Respire Aerobically on Soluble Iron.

Funding Source

National Institutes of Health, ational Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Department of Health and Human Services

Grant Number

2G12MD7595,TL4GM118968

Department

College of Pharmacy

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-8-2016

Abstract

Absorbance spectra were collected on 12 different live microorganisms, representing six phyla, as they respired aerobically on soluble iron at pH 1.5. A novel integrating cavity absorption meter was employed that permitted accurate absorbance measurements in turbid suspensions that scattered light. Illumination of each microorganism yielded a characteristic spectrum of electrochemically reduced colored prosthetic groups. A total of six different patterns of reduced-minus-oxidized difference spectra were observed. Three different spectra were obtained with members of the Gram-negative eubacteria. Acidithiobacillus, representing Proteobacteria, yielded a spectrum in which cytochromes a and c and a blue copper protein were all prominent. Acidihalobacter, also representing the Proteobacteria, yielded a spectrum in which both cytochrome b and a long-wavelength cytochrome a were clearly visible. Two species of Leptospirillum, representing the Nitrospirae, both yielded spectra that were dominated by a cytochrome with a reduced peak at 579 nm. Sulfobacillus and Alicyclobacillus, representing the Gram-positive Firmicutes, both yielded spectra dominated by a-type cytochromes. Acidimicrobium and Ferrimicrobium, representing the Gram-positive Actinobacteria, also yielded spectra dominated by a-type cytochromes. Acidiplasma and Ferroplasma, representing the Euryarchaeota, both yielded spectra dominated by a ba3-type of cytochrome. Metallosphaera and Sulfolobus, representing the Crenarchaeota, both yielded spectra dominated by the same novel cytochrome as that observed in the Nitrospirae and a new, heretofore unrecognized redox-active prosthetic group with a reduced peak at around 485 nm. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that individual acidophilic microorganisms that respire aerobically on iron utilize one of at least six different types of electron transfer pathways that are characterized by different redox-active prosthetic groups. In situ absorbance spectroscopy is shown to be a useful complement to existing means of investigating the details of energy conservation in intact microorganisms under physiological conditions.

Comments

DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01963

The authors thank a reviewer of this manuscript for generously contributing the information that genomic evidence for the Leptospirillum cytochrome 579 is not present the selected archaea that respire aerobically on iron. Research reported in this publication was supported in part by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number TL4GM118968. Support was also provided in part by grant number 2G12MD7595 from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). In both cases, the contents of this publication are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NIMHD, NIGMS, or NIH

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