Microbial transformations of metals

Nano-biogenic heavy metals adsorptive remediation for enhanced soil health and sustainable agricultural production

Hazardous heavy metal (HM) pollution constitutes a pervasive global challenge, posing substantial risks to ecosystems and human health. The exigency for expeditious detection, meticulous monitoring, and efficacious remediation of HM within ecosystems is indisputable. Soil contamination, stemming from a myriad of anthropogenic activities, emerges as a principal conduit for HM ingress into the food chain. Traditional soil remediation modalities for HM elimination, while effective are labor-intensive, susceptible to secondary contamination, and exhibit limited efficacy in regions characterized by low metal toxicity. In response to these exigencies, the eco-friendly paradigm of bioremediation has garnered prominence as a financially judicious and sustainable remedial strategy. This approach entails the utilization of hyperaccumulators, Genetically Modified Microorganisms (GMM), and advantageous microbes. The current review offers a comprehensive elucidation of cutting-edge phyto/microbe-based bioremediation techniques, with a specific emphasis on their amalgamation with nanotechnology. Accentuating their pivotal role in advancing sustainable agricultural practices, the review meticulously dissects the synergistic interplay between plants and microbes, underscoring their adeptness in HM remediation sans secondary contamination. Moreover, the review scrutinizes the challenges intrinsic to implementing bioremediation-nanotechnology interface techniques and propounds innovative resolutions. These discernments proffer auspicious trajectories for the future of agriculture. Through the environmentally conscientious marvels of phyto/microbe bioremediation, an optimistic outlook emerges for environmental preservation and the cultivation of a sustainable, salubrious planet via the conduit of cleaner agricultural production.

Tellurite and Selenite: how can these two oxyanions be chemically different yet so similar in the way they are transformed to their metal forms by bacteria?

This opinion review explores the microbiology of tellurite, TeO₃²⁻ and selenite, SeO₃²⁻ oxyanions, two similar Group 16 chalcogen elements, but with slightly different physicochemical properties that lead to intriguing biological differences. Selenium, Se, is a required trace element compared to tellurium, Te, which is not. Here, the challenges around understanding the uptake transport mechanisms of these anions, as reflected in the model organisms used by different groups, are described. This leads to a discussion around how these oxyanions are subsequently reduced to nanomaterials, which mechanistically, has controversies between ideas around the molecule chemistry, chemical reactions involving reduced glutathione and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production along with the bioenergetics at the membrane versus the cytoplasm. Of particular interest is the linkage of glutathione and thioredoxin chemistry from the cytoplasm through the membrane electron transport chain (ETC) system/quinones to the periplasm. Throughout the opinion review we identify open and unanswered questions about the microbial physiology under selenite and tellurite exposure. Thus, demonstrating how far we have come, yet the exciting research directions that are still possible. The review is written in a conversational manner from three long-term researchers in the field, through which to play homage to the late Professor Claudio Vásquez.

Effects of heavy elements (Pb, Cu, Zn) on algal food uptake by Elphidium excavatum (Foraminifera)

Foraminifera are unicellular organisms and play a pivotal role in the marine material cycles. Past observations have shown that the species Elphidium excavatum is the most common foraminifera in the Baltic Sea. Feeding experiments showed that the food uptake and thus the turnover of organic matter are influenced by changes of physical parameters (e.g., temperature, salinity). Since many areas of the Baltic Sea are strongly affected by anthropogenic activity and are strongly contaminated by heavy elements from shipping in the past, this study examined the effect of heavy elements pollution on the food uptake of the most common foraminiferal species of the Baltic Sea, E. excavatum which was a subject of several previous studies. Therefore, Baltic Sea seawater was enriched with metals at various levels above normal seawater levels and the uptake of ¹³C- and ¹⁵N-labelled phytodetritus was measured by isotope ratio mass spectrometry. For each combination of metal type, concentration and time point 20 individuals of E. excavatum (three replicates) were fed with the green algae Dunaliella tertiolecta. The effect of dose parameters was measured in a two-way analysis of variance. Significant differences of food uptake were observable at different types and levels of heavy elements in sea water. Even a 557-fold increase in the Pb concentration did not affect food uptake, whereas strong negative effects were found for higher levels of Zn (144 and 1044-fold) and especially for Cu (5.6 and 24.3-fold). In summary it can be stated, that an increase in the heavy elements pollution in the Kiel Fjord will lead to a significant reduction in the turnover of organic matter by foraminifera such as E. excavatum.

Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34, a historical perspective on its discovery, characterization and metal resistance

Cupriavidus metallidurans, and in particular type strain CH34, became a model bacterium to study bacterial resistance to metals. Although nowadays the routine use of a wide variety of omics and molecular techniques allow refining, deepening and expanding our knowledge on adaptation and resistance to metals, these were not available at the onset of C. metallidurans research starting from its isolation in 1976. This minireview describes the early research and legacy tools used to study its metal resistance determinants, characteristic megaplasmids, ecological niches and environmental applications.

Metal-Resistance in Bacteria: Why Care?

Heavy metal resistance is more than the tolerance one has towards a particular music genera [...].

Arsenic distribution and pathway scenarios for sediments and water in a peri-urban Mongolian small-scale coal mining area (Nalaikh District, Ulaanbaatar)

The distribution of arsenic (As) in environmental compartments is investigated in the Nalaikh Depression of N-Mongolia. In Nalaikh, lignite coal is mined by artisanal small-scale mining (ASM) approaches. Because As is often associated with sulfuric minerals in coal, it was hypothesized that enrichment of As is related to coal ASM. A second hypothesis considered coal combustion in power plants, and stoves are a key source of As in the local environment. Three mobilization and distribution scenarios were developed for potential As pathways in this semiarid environment. About 43 soil and 14 water sites were analyzed for As concentrations and meaningful parameters in soil and water. About 28 topsoil samples were analyzed in surface-subsurface pairs in order to identify potential eolian surface enrichment. Additionally, fluvial-alluvial sediments and geogenic and anthropogenic deposits were sampled. Water was sampled as surface water, groundwater, precipitation, and industrial water. Results show that As does not pose a ubiquitous risk in the Nalaikh Depression. However, locally and specifically in water, As concentrations may exceed the WHO guideline value for drinking water by up to a factor of 10. A carefully selected sampling strategy allows the evaluation of the distribution scenarios, which reveals a combination of (a) geogenic As in groundwater and distribution via surface water with (b) anthropogenic As redistribution via eolian pathways. An immediate linkage between As redistribution and coal mining is not evident. However, As distribution in fly ash from coal combustion in the local power plant and yurt settlements is the most likely As pathway. Hence, the results indicate the potential influence of diffuse, low-altitude sources on As emission to the environment. As such, this study provides a good example for As distribution under semiarid climate conditions influenced by geogenic and anthropogenic factors.

Reduction of Gold (III) and Tellurium (IV) by Enterobacter cloacae MF01 Results in Nanostructure Formation Both in Aerobic and Anaerobic Conditions

Microorganism survival in the presence of toxic substances such as metal(loid)s lies chiefly on their ability to resist (or tolerate) such elements through specific resistance mechanisms. Among them, toxicant reduction has attracted the attention of researchers because metal(loid)-reducing bacteria are being used to recover and/or decontaminate polluted sites. Particularly, our interest is to analyze the toxicity of gold and tellurium compounds for the environmental microorganism Enterobacter cloacae MF01 and also to explore the generation of nanostructures to be used in future biotechnological processes. Resistance of E. cloacae MF01 to gold and tellurium salts as well as the putative mechanisms involved -both in aerobic and anaerobic growth conditions- was evaluated. These metal(loid)s were selected because of their potential application in biotechnology. Resistance to auric tetrachloride acid (HAuCl₄) and potassium tellurite (K₂TeO₃) was assessed by determining areas of growth inhibition, minimum inhibitory concentrations, and growth curves as well as by viability tests. E. cloacae MF01 exhibited higher resistance to HAuCl₄ and K₂TeO₃ under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, respectively. In general, their toxicity is mediated by the generation of reactive oxygen species and by a decrease of intracellular reduced thiols (RSH). To assess if resistance implies toxicant reduction, intra- and extra-cellular toxicant-reducing activities were evaluated. While E. cloacae MF01 exhibited intra- and extra-cellular HAuCl₄-reducing activity, tellurite reduction was observed only intracellularly. Then, Au- and Te-containing nanostructures (AuNS and TeNS, respectively) were synthesized using crude extracts from E. cloacae MF01 and their size, morphology, and chemical composition was evaluated.

Electrochemical Bioreactor Technology for Biocatalysis and Microbial Electrosynthesis

Two seemingly distinct fields, industrial biocatalysis and microbial electrosynthesis, can be viewed together through the lens of electrochemical bioreactor technology in order to highlight the challenges that exist in creating a versatile platform technology for use in chemical and biological applications. Industrial biocatalysis applications requiring NAD(P)H to perform redox transformations often necessitate convoluted coupled-enzyme regeneration systems to regenerate reduced cofactor, NAD(P)H from oxidized cofactor, NAD(P). Renewed interest in continuously recycling the cofactor via electrochemical reduction is motivated by the low cost of performing electrochemical reactions, easy monitoring of the reaction progress, and straightforward product recovery. However, electrochemical cofactor regeneration methods invariably produce adventitious reduced cofactor side products which result in unproductive loss of input NAD(P). Microbial electrosynthesis is a form of microbially driven catalysis in which electricity is supplied to living microorganisms for the production of industrially relevant chemical products at higher carbon efficiencies and yields compared with traditional, nonelectrically driven, fermentations. The fundamental biochemistry of these organisms as related to selected biochemical redox processes will be explored in order to highlight opportunities to devise strategies for taking advantage of these biochemical processes in engineered systems.

Effect of Probiotic Bacillus Coagulans and Lactobacillus Plantarum on Alleviation of Mercury Toxicity in Rat

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of probiotics (Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacillus coagulans) against mercury-induced toxicity using a rat model. Mercury (Hg) is a widespread heavy metal and was shown to be associated with various diseases. Forty-eight adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups (control, mercury-only, each probiotic-only, and mercury plus each probiotic group). Hg-treated groups received 10 ppm mercuric chloride, and probiotic groups were administrated 1 × 10⁹ CFU of probiotics daily for 48 days. Levels of mercury were determined using cold vapor technique, and some biochemical factors (list like glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), creatinine, urea, bilirubin, alanine transaminase (ALT), and aspartate transaminase (AST)) were measured to evaluate changes in oxidative stress. Oral administration of either probiotic was found to provide significant protection against mercury toxicity by decreasing the mercury level in the liver and kidney and preventing alterations in the levels of GPx and SOD. Probiotic treatment generated marked reduction in the levels of creatinine, urea, bilirubin, ALT, and AST indicating the positive influence of the probiotics on the adverse effects of Hg in the body.

Synthesis and Antibacterial Activity of Metal(loid) Nanostructures by Environmental Multi-Metal(loid) Resistant Bacteria and Metal(loid)-Reducing Flavoproteins

Microbes are suitable candidates to recover and decontaminate different environments from soluble metal ions, either via reduction or precipitation to generate insoluble, non-toxic derivatives. In general, microorganisms reduce toxic metal ions generating nanostructures (NS), which display great applicability in biotechnological processes. Since the molecular bases of bacterial reduction are still unknown, the search for new -environmentally safe and less expensive- methods to synthesize NS have made biological systems attractive candidates. Here, 47 microorganisms isolated from a number of environmental samples were analyzed for their tolerance or sensitivity to 19 metal(loid)s. Ten of them were highly tolerant to some of them and were assessed for their ability to reduce these toxicants in vitro. All isolates were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, fatty acids composition, biochemical tests and electron microscopy. Results showed that they belong to the Enterobacter, Staphylococcus, Acinetobacter, and Exiguobacterium genera. Most strains displayed metal(loid)-reducing activity using either NADH or NADPH as cofactor. While Acinetobacter schindleri showed the highest tellurite ( TeO32- ) and tetrachloro aurate ( AuCl4- ) reducing activity, Staphylococcus sciuri and Exiguobacterium acetylicum exhibited selenite ( SeO32- ) and silver (Ag⁺) reducing activity, respectively. Based on these results, we used these bacteria to synthetize, in vivo and in vitro Te, Se, Au, and Ag-containing nanostructures. On the other hand, we also used purified E. cloacae glutathione reductase to synthesize in vitro Te-, Ag-, and Se-containing NS, whose morphology, size, composition, and chemical composition were evaluated. Finally, we assessed the putative anti-bacterial activity exhibited by the in vitro synthesized NS: Te-containing NS were more effective than Au-NS in inhibiting Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes growth. Aerobically synthesized TeNS using MF09 crude extracts showed MICs of 45- and 66- μg/ml for E. coli and L. monocytogenes, respectively. Similar MIC values (40 and 82 μg/ml, respectively) were observed for TeNS generated using crude extracts from gorA-overexpressing E. coli. In turn, AuNS MICs for E. coli and L. monocytogenes were 64- and 68- μg/ml, respectively.

In situ antimicrobial behavior of materials with copper-based additives in a hospital environment

Copper and its alloys are effective antimicrobial surface materials in the laboratory and in clinical trials. Copper has been used in the healthcare setting to reduce environmental contamination, and thus prevent healthcare-associated infections, complementing traditional protocols. The addition of copper nanoparticles to polymer/plastic matrices can also produce antimicrobial materials, as confirmed under laboratory conditions. However, there is a lack of studies validating the antimicrobial effects of these nanocomposite materials in clinical trials. To satisfy this issue, plastic waiting room chairs with embedded metal copper nanoparticles, and metal hospital IV pools coated with an organic paint with nanostructured zeolite/copper particles were produced and tested in a hospital environment. These prototypes were sampled once weekly for 10 weeks and the viable microorganisms were analysed and compared with the copper-free materials. In the waiting rooms, chairs with copper reduced by around 73% the total viable microorganisms present, showing activity regardless of the microorganism tested. Although there were only low levels of microorganisms in the IV pools installed in operating rooms because of rigorous hygiene protocols, samples with copper presented lower total viable microorganisms than unfilled materials. Some results did not have statistical significance because of the low load of microorganisms; however, during at least three weeks the IV pools with copper had reduced levels of microorganisms by a statistically significant 50%. These findings show for the first time the feasibility of utilizing the antimicrobial property of copper by adding nanosized fillers to other materials in a hospital environment.

On the role of a specific insert in acetate permeases (ActP) for tellurite uptake in bacteria: Functional and structural studies

The oxyanion tellurite (TeO₃^2-) is extremely toxic to bacterial cells. In Rhodobacter capsulatus, tellurite enters the cytosol by means of the high uptake-rate acetate permease RcActP2, encoded by one of the three actP genes present in this species (actP1, actP2 and actP3). Conversely, in Escherichia coli a low rate influx of the oxyanion is measured, which depends mainly on the phosphate transporter EcPitA, even though E. coli contains its own EcActP acetate permease. Here we report that when the actP2 gene from R. capsulatus is expressed in wild-type E. coli HB101 and in E. coli JW3460 ΔpitA mutant, the cellular intake of tellurite increases up to four times, suggesting intrinsic structural differences between EcActP and RcActP2. Indeed, a sequence analysis indicated the presence in RcActP2 of an insert of 15-16 residues, located between trans-membrane (TM) helices 6 and 7, which is absent in both EcActP and RcActP1. Based on this observation, the molecular models of homodimeric RcActP1 and RcActP2 were calculated and analyzed. In the RcActP2 model, the insert induces a perturbation in the conformation of the loop between TM helices 6 and 7, located at the RcActP2 dimerization interface. This perturbation opens a cavity on the periplasmic side that is closed, instead, in the RcActP1 model. This cavity also features an increase of the positive electric potential on the protein surface, an effect ascribed to specific residues Lys261, Lys281 and Arg560. We propose that this positively charged patch in RcActP2 is involved in recognition and translocation of the TeO₃^2- anion, attributing to RcActP2 a greater ability as compared to RcActP1 to transport this inorganic poison inside the cells.

Heavy metal detoxification and tolerance mechanisms in plants: Implications for phytoremediation

Heavy metals, such as cobalt, copper, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc, are essential in trace amounts for growth by plants and other living organisms. However, in excessive amounts these heavy metals have deleterious effects. Like other organisms, plants possess a variety of detoxification mechanisms to counter the harmful effects of heavy metals. These include the restriction of heavy metals by mycorrhizal association, binding with plant cell wall and root excretions, metal efflux from the plasma membrane, metal chelation by phytochelatins and metallothioneins, and compartmentalization within the vacuole. Phytoremediation is an emerging technology that uses plants and their associated rhizospheric microorganisms to remove pollutants from contaminated sites. This technology is inexpensive, efficient, and ecofriendly. This review focuses on potential cellular and molecular adaptations by plants that are necessary to tolerate heavy metal stress.

Effects of the soil microbial community on mobile proportions and speciation of mercury (Hg) in contaminated soil

The precise characterization of the behavior of individual microorganisms in the presence of increased mercury contents in soil is necessary for better elucidation of the fate of mercury in the soil environment. In our investigation, resistant bacterial strains isolated from two mercury contaminated soils, represented by Paenibacillus alginolyticus, Burkholderia glathei, Burkholderia sp., and Pseudomonas sp., were used. Two differently contaminated soils (0.5 and 7 mg kg(-1) total mercury) were chosen. Preliminary soil analysis showed the presence of methylmercury and phenylmercury with the higher soil mercury level. Modified rhizobox experiments were performed to assess the ability of mercury accumulating strains to deplete the mobile and mobilizable mercury portions in the soil by modification; microbial agar cultures were used rather than the plant root zone. A sequential extraction procedure was performed to release the following mercury fractions: water soluble, extracted in acidic conditions, bound to humic substances, elemental, and bound to complexes, HgS and residual. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and a single-purpose atomic absorption spectrometer (AMA-254) were applied for mercury determination in the samples and extracts. Gas chromatography coupled to atomic fluorescence spectrometry (GC-AFS) was used for the determination of organomercury compounds. The analysis of the microbial community at the end of the experiment showed a 42% abundance of Paenibacillus sp. followed by Acetivibrio sp., Brevibacillus sp., Cohnella sp., Lysinibacillus sp., and Clostridium sp. not exceeding 2% abundance. The results suggest importance of Paenibacillus sp. in Hg transformation processes. This genus should be tested for potential bioremediation use in further research.

Impairment of soil health due to fly ash-fugitive dust deposition from coal-fired thermal power plants

Thermal power stations apart from being source of energy supply are causing soil pollution leading to its degradation in fertility and contamination. Fine particle and trace element emissions from energy production in coal-fired thermal power plants are associated with significant adverse effects on human, animal, and soil health. Contamination of soil with cadmium, nickel, copper, lead, arsenic, chromium, and zinc can be a primary route of human exposure to these potentially toxic elements. The environmental evaluation of surrounding soil of thermal power plants in Odisha may serve a model study to get the insight into hazards they are causing. The study investigates the impact of fly ash-fugitive dust (FAFD) deposition from coal-fired thermal power plant emissions on soil properties including trace element concentration, pH, and soil enzymatic activities. Higher FAFD deposition was found in the close proximity of power plants, which led to high pH and greater accumulation of heavy metals. Among the three power plants, in the vicinity of NALCO, higher concentrations of soil organic carbon and nitrogen was observed whereas, higher phosphorus content was recorded in the proximity of NTPC. Multivariate statistical analysis of different variables and their association indicated that FAFD deposition and soil properties were influenced by the source of emissions and distance from source of emission. Pollution in soil profiles and high risk areas were detected and visualized using surface maps based on Kriging interpolation. The concentrations of chromium and arsenic were higher in the soil where FAFD deposition was more. Observance of relatively high concentration of heavy metals like cadmium, lead, nickel, and arsenic and a low concentration of enzymatic activity in proximity to the emission source indicated a possible link with anthropogenic emissions.

Antimicrobial polymer composites with copper micro- and nanoparticles: Effect of particle size and polymer matrix

The addition of metal particles, for instance, silver or copper, into polymer matrices is a relevant strategy producing novel antimicrobial materials. By using two particles with diameters around 10 nm and 45 µm, and polymers with different characteristics, the effect of filler size and matrix on the biocide behavior of polymer/copper composites was studied. The composites were prepared by melt mixing, and the ion release from these materials was used to obtain critical information about the processes involved. Regarding the effect of the particle size, our results for polypropylene showed that this variable drastically changes the release of copper from the matrix. The ion release rate from nanocomposites increased quickly exhibiting a sharp maximum during the first day; meanwhile, in microcomposites, the release rate increased slowly releasing lower ions. The relevance of particle size was confirmed by the antibacterial behavior of the samples as polypropylene with nanoparticles displayed larger activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria than microcomposites. These results further showed the relationship between copper ion release and antimicrobial behavior in polymer/metal composites. Our findings further revealed that the ion release from polymer composites could be improved by either increasing the hydrophilic characteristic of the matrix or by lowering its crystallinity. These observations allowed the conclusion that both the polymeric matrix and the size of the metal filler are relevant variables toward the design of antimicrobial composite materials.

A review of ion and metal pollutants in urban green water infrastructures

In urban environments, the breakdown of chemicals and pollutants, especially ions and metal compounds, can be favoured by green water infrastructures (GWIs). The overall aim of this review is to set the basis to model GWIs using deterministic approaches in contrast to empirical ones. If a better picture of chemicals and pollutant input and an improved understanding of hydrological and biogeochemical processes affecting these pollutants were known, GWIs could be designed to efficiently retain these pollutants for site-specific meteorological patterns and pollutant load. To this end, we surveyed the existing literature to retrieve a comprehensive dataset of anions and cations, and alkaline and transition metal pollutants incoming to urban environments. Based on this survey, we assessed the pollution load and ecological risk indexes for metals. The existing literature was then surveyed to review the metal retention efficiency of GWIs, and possible biogeochemical processes related to inorganic metal compounds were proposed that could be integrated in biogeochemical models of GWIs.

Effect of sulfide, selenite and mercuric mercury on the growth and methylation capacity of the sulfate reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio desulfuricans

Cultures of the sulfate reducing bacteria Desulfovibrio desulfuricans were grown under anoxic conditions to study the effect of added sulfide, selenite and mercuric ions. A chemical trap consisting in a CuSO4 solution was used to control the poisoning effect induced by the bacterial production of hydrogen sulfide via the precipitation of CuS. Following the addition of Hg(2+), the formation of methylmercury (MeHg) was correlated to bacterial proliferation with most of MeHg found in the culture medium. A large fraction (50-80%) of added Hg(2+) to a culture ended up in a solid phase (Hg(0) and likely HgS) limiting its bioavailability to cells with elemental Hg representing ~40% of the solid. Following the addition of selenite, a small fraction was converted into Se(0) inside the cells and, even though the conversion to this selenium species increased with the increase of added selenite, it never reached more than 49% of the added amount. The formation of volatile dimethylselenide is suggested as another detoxification mechanism. In cultures containing both added selenite and mercuric ions, elemental forms of the two compounds were still produced and the increase of selenium in the residual fraction of the culture suggests the formation of mercuric selenite limiting the bioavailability of both elements to cells.

Bioremediation of heavy metals using biostimulation in laboratory bioreactor

The present research study investigates bioremediation potential of biostimulated microbial culture isolated from heavy metals waste disposal contaminated site located at Bhayander (east), Mumbai, India. The physicochemical and microbial characterization including heavy metal contaminants have been studied at waste disposal site. The microorganisms adapted at heavy metal-contaminated environment were isolated, cultured, and biostimulated in minimal salt medium under aerobic conditions in a designed and developed laboratory bioreactor. Heavy metals such as Fe, Cu, and Cd at a selected concentration of 25, 50, and 100 μg/ml were taken in bioreactor wherein biostimulated microbial culture was added for bioremediation of heavy metals under aerobic conditions. The remediation of heavy metals was studied at an interval of 24 h for a period of 21 days. The biostimulated microbial consortium has been found effective for remediation of Cd, Cu, and Fe at higher concentration, i.e., 100 mg/l up to 98.5%, 99.6%, and 100%, respectively. Fe being a micronutrient was remediated completely compared to Cu and Cd. During the bioaccumulation of heavy metals by microorganisms, environmental parameters such as pH, total alkalinity, electronic conductivity, biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, etc. were monitored and assessed. The pilot scale study would be applicable to remediate heavy metals from waste disposal contaminated site to clean up the environment.

Microbial processing of tellurium as a tool in biotechnology

Here, we overview the most recent advances in understanding the bacterial mechanisms that stay behind the reduction of tellurium oxyanions in both planktonic cells and biofilms. This is a topic of interest for basic and applied research because microorganisms are deeply involved in the transformation of metals and metalloids in the environment. In particular, the recent observation that toxic tellurite can be precipitated either inside or outside the cells being used as electron sink to support bacterial growth, opens new perspectives for both microbial physiologists and biotechnologists. As promising nanomaterials, tellurium based nanoparticles show unique electronic and optical properties due to quantum confinement effects to be used in the area of chemistry, electronics, medicine and environmental biotechnologies.

Aeration controls the reduction and methylation of tellurium by the aerobic, tellurite-resistant marine yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa

We previously described a marine, tellurite-resistant strain of the yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa that both precipitates intracellular Te0 and volatilizes methylated Te compounds when grown in the presence of the oxyanion tellurite. The uses of microbes as a "green" route for the production of Te0-containing nanostructures and for the remediation of Te-oxyanion wastes have great potential, and so a more thorough understanding of this process is required. Here, Te precipitation and volatilization catalyzed by R. mucilaginosa were examined in continuously aerated and sealed (low oxygen concentration) batch cultures. Continuous aeration was found to strongly promote Te volatilization while inhibiting Te0 precipitation. This differs from the results in sealed batch cultures, for which tellurite reduction to Te0 was found to be very efficient. We show also that volatile Te species may be degraded rapidly in medium and converted to the particulate form by biological activity. Further experiments revealed that Te0 precipitates produced by R. mucilaginosa can be further transformed to volatile and dissolved Te species. However, it was not clearly determined whether Te0 is a required intermediate for Te volatilization. Based on these results, we conclude that low oxygen concentrations will be the most efficient for production of Te0 nanoparticles while limiting the production of toxic volatile Te species, although the production of these compounds may never be completely eliminated.

Mixtures of environmental pollutants: effects on microorganisms and their activities in soils

Soil is the ultimate sink for most contaminants and rarely has only a single contaminant. More than is generally acknowledge, environmental pollutants exist as mixtures (organic-organic, inorganic-inorganic, and organic-inorganic). It is much more difficult to study chemical mixtures than individual chemicals, especially in the complex soil environment. Similarly, understanding the toxicity of a chemical mixture on different microbial species is much more complex, time consuming and expensive, because multiple testing designs are needed for an increased array of variables. Therefore, until now, scientific enquiries worldwide have extensively addressed the effects of only individual pollutants toward nontarget microorganisms. In this review, we emphasize the present status of research on (i) the environmental occurrence of pollutant mixtures; (ii) the interactions between pollutant mixtures and ecologically beneficial microorganisms; and (iii) the impact of such interactions on environmental quality. We also address the limitations of traditional cultivation based methods for monitoring the effects of pollutant mixtures on microorganisms. Long-term monitoring of the effects of pollutant mixtures on microorganisms, particularly in soil and aquatic ecosystems, has received little attention. Microbial communities that can degrade or can degrade or can develop tolerance to, or are inhibited by chemical mixtures greatly contribute to resilience and resistance in soil environments. We also stress in this review the important emerging trend associated with the employment of molecular methods for establishing the effects of pollutant mixtures on microbial communities. There is currently a lack of sufficient cogent toxicological data on chemical mixtures for making informed decision making in risk assessment by regulators. Therefore, not only more toxicology information on mixtures is needed but also there is an urgent need to generate sufficient, suitable, and long-term modeling data that have higher predictability when assessing pollutant mixture effects on microorganisms. Such data would improve risk assessment at contaminated sites and would help devise more effective bioremediation strategies.

Sulfate assimilation mediates tellurite reduction and toxicity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Despite a century of research and increasing environmental and human health concerns, the mechanistic basis of the toxicity of derivatives of the metalloid tellurium, Te, in particular the oxyanion tellurite, Te(IV), remains unsolved. Here, we provide an unbiased view of the mechanisms of tellurium metabolism in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae by measuring deviations in Te-related traits of a complete collection of gene knockout mutants. Reduction of Te(IV) and intracellular accumulation as metallic tellurium strongly correlated with loss of cellular fitness, suggesting that Te(IV) reduction and toxicity are causally linked. The sulfate assimilation pathway upstream of Met17, in particular, the sulfite reductase and its cofactor siroheme, was shown to be central to tellurite toxicity and its reduction to elemental tellurium. Gene knockout mutants with altered Te(IV) tolerance also showed a similar deviation in tolerance to both selenite and, interestingly, selenomethionine, suggesting that the toxicity of these agents stems from a common mechanism. We also show that Te(IV) reduction and toxicity in yeast is partially mediated via a mitochondrial respiratory mechanism that does not encompass the generation of substantial oxidative stress. The results reported here represent a robust base from which to attack the mechanistic details of Te(IV) toxicity and reduction in a eukaryotic organism.

Tellurium and Selenium Resistance in Rhizobia and Its Potential Use for Direct Isolation of Rhizobium meliloti from Soil

Forty-eight Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium strains were screened for resistance to tellurite, selenite, and selenate. High levels of resistance to the metals were observed only in Rhizobium meliloti and Rhizobium fredii strains; the MICs were 2 to 8 mM for Te(IV), >200 mM for Se(VI), and 50 to 100 mM for Se(IV). Incorporation of Se and Te into growth media permitted us to directly isolate R. meliloti strains from soil. Mutant strains of rhizobia having decreased levels of Se and Te resistance were constructed by Tn5 mutagenesis and were found to have transposon insertions in DNA fragments of different sizes. Genomic DNAs from Te rhizobium strains failed to hybridize with Te determinants from plasmids RP4, pHH1508a, and pMER610.

Tellurite resistance and reduction by obligately aerobic photosynthetic bacteria

Seven species of obligately aerobic photosynthetic bacteria of the genera Erythromicrobium, Erythrobacter, and Roseococcus demonstrated high-level resistance to tellurite and accumulation of metallic tellurium crystals. High-level resistance without tellurite reduction was observed for Roseococcus thiosulfatophilus and Erythromicrobium ezovicum grown with certain organic carbon sources, implying that tellurite reduction is not essential to confer tellurite resistance.

Resistance of Thermus spp. to Potassium Tellurite

Two members of the genus Thermus were examined for their resistance to toxic inorganic compounds. They both proved to be fairly resistant to tellurite and selenite and to many other heavy metal salts. Cell extracts of Thermus thermophilus HB8 and of T. flavus AT-62 catalyze the reduction of K(2)TeO(3) in a reaction which is dependent on NADH oxidation.

Conjugative Plasmid in Corynebacterium flaccumfaciens subsp. oortii That Confers Resistance to Arsenite, Arsenate, and Antimony(III)

Gene transfer systems for phytopathogenic corynebacteria have not been reported previously. In this paper we describe a conjugative 46-megadalton plasmid (pDG101) found in Corynebacterium flaccumfaciens subsp. oortii CO101 that mediates resistance to arsenite, arsenate, and antimony(III). Transfer of the plasmid from CO101 to four other strains from the C. flaccumfaciens group occurred between cells immobilized on nitrocellulose filters or on agar surfaces. Transconjugant strains expressed the same levels of metal resistance as the donor strain and were able to act as donor strains in subsequent matings. The physical presence of the plasmid was detected by agarose gel electrophoresis. Arsenite-sensitive derivatives of the donor and transconjugant strains were obtained after heat treatment; these were cured of pDG101.

Arsenite tolerance and biotransformation potential in estuarine bacteria

Bacterial isolates from water and sediment samples from freshwater, estuarine and marine regions were tested for their growth in the presence of different concentrations of arsenic. Despite the generation times being longer in case of all bacterial isolates tested in nutrient broth with 200 ppm Arsenite (As(3+)), many of them were able to attain log phase and substantial growth variously between 36 and 96 h. The isolates tolerating >or=200 ppm arsenic (As) were found to belong to Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas, Corynebaterium, Xanthomonas, Acinetobacter, Flavimonas and Micrococcus. Some of these environmental strains tolerant to 1,000 ppm arsenic were tested to realize their potential to detoxify arsenic. The rate of As biotransformation was faster by many of these strains. The percent of arsenite biotransformed/removed from the growth medium was the highest by a strain of Enterobacteriaceae (as much as 92% of the As in the growth medium by 120 h) followed by that of Corynebaterium and Acinetobacter strains. From these observations it is clear that many environmental strains are capable of quite rapid biotransformation of As. Contamination of drinking water by toxic metalloid arsenic affects thousands of people worldwide. Many environmental isolates of bacteria which detoxify this metalloid would serve beneficial in the depuration processes. We suggest that only such strains capable of high tolerance to toxic arsenite, would biotransform As in polluted estuarine environments and would prove useful in As bioremediation applications.

Effects of selenite and tellurite on growth, physiology, and proteome of a moderately halophilic bacterium

We isolated a moderately halophilic bacterium with high level of tolerance to two toxic oxyanions, selenite and tellurite, from hypersaline soil in Garmsar, Iran. 16s rRNA sequence analysis revealed that the isolate, strain MAM, had 98% similarity with Halomonas elongate, and is closely related to other species of the genus Halomonas. We observed that the tolerance to tellurite and its removal increased significantly when both selenite and tellurite were added to the culture media, suggesting a positive synergism of selenite on tellurite tolerance and removal. We applied a proteomic approach to study the proteome response of Halomonas sp. strain MAM to selenite, tellurite, and selenite + tellurite. Out of approximately 800 protein spots detected on 2-DE gels, 208 spots were differentially expressed in response to at least one of treatments. Of them, 70 CBB stained spots were analyzed by MALDI TOF/TOF mass spectrometry, leading to identification of 36 proteins. Our results revealed that several mechanisms including fatty acid synthesis, energy production, cell transport, oxidative stress detoxification, DNA replication, transcription and translation contributed in bacterial response and/or adaptation. These results provided new insights into the general mechanisms on the tolerance of halophilic bacteria to these two toxic oxyanions and the use of them for bioremediation of contaminated saline soils and wastes discharge sites.

Arsenic-resistant bacteria isolated from agricultural soils of Bangladesh and characterization of arsenate-reducing strains

AIMS

To analyse the arsenic-resistant bacterial communities of two agricultural soils of Bangladesh, to isolate arsenic-resistant bacteria, to study their potential role in arsenic transformation and to investigate the genetic determinants for arsenic resistance among the isolates.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Enrichment cultures were performed in a minimal medium in the presence of As(III) and As(V) to isolate resistant bacteria. Twenty-one arsenic-resistant bacteria belonging to different genera of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were isolated. The isolates, with the exception of Oceanimonas doudoroffii Dhal Rw, reduced 2 mmol l(-1) As(V) completely to As(III) in aerobic conditions. Putative gene fragments for arsenite efflux pumps were amplified in isolates from Dhal soil and a putative arsenate reductase gene fragment was amplified from a Bacillus sp. from Rice soil.

CONCLUSIONS

Phylogenetically diverse arsenic-resistant bacteria present in agricultural soils of Bangladesh are capable of reducing arsenate to arsenite under aerobic conditions apparently for detoxification purpose.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study provides results on identification, levels of arsenic resistance and reduction of arsenate by the bacterial isolates which could play an important role in arsenic cycling in the two arsenic-contaminated soils in Bangladesh.

Accessory DNAs in the bacterial gene pool: playground for coevolution

Chemostat studies of bacteria that harbour the prokaryotic transposable elements Tn5 and Tn10 and the temperate phages lambda, Mu, P1 and P2 have shown that these accessory DNA elements confer a selective advantage on their hosts. We propose that similar selective effects provided the initial impetus for the evolution of nascent accessory DNA elements in primitive bacterial populations. In subsequent evolution the elements acquired or perfected the 'selfish' characteristics of over-replication and horizontal transmission. Such selfish traits led to the dissemination of accessory DNAs among commensal strains, species and genera, genetically interconnecting them to create a 'commonwealth' of species that potentially share a common gene pool. The involvement of accessory DNAs in genetic exchange provides selection at the population level for refinement and diversification of the elements and for regulation of their replication, transposition and transfer among cells. The diversity of intracellular environments encountered by the elements imposes constraints on their evolution while at the same time altering the selection pressures operating on conventional chromosomal genes. This process of coevolution of accessory DNAs with the genomes of their diverse hosts has led to a unique population structure and mechanism of genetic exchange among bacteria, which constitutes the most effective adaptive strategy yet devised by selection.

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics

Effective antibacterial drugs have been available for nearly 50 years. After the introduction of each new such drug, whether chemically synthesized or a naturally occurring antibiotic, bacterial resistance to it has emerged. The genetic mechanisms by which bacteria have acquired resistance were quite unexpected; a new evolutionary pathways has been revealed. Although some antibiotic resistance has resulted from mutational changes in structural proteins--targets for the drugs' action--most has resulted from the acquisition of new, ready-made genes from an external source--that is, from another bacterium. Vectors of the resistance genes are plasmids--heritable DNA molecules that are transmissible between bacterial cells. Plasmids without antibiotic-resistance genes are common in all kinds of bacteria. Resistance plasmids have resulted from the insertion of new DNA sequences into previously existing plasmids. Thus, the spread of antibiotic resistance is at three levels: bacteria between people or animals; plasmids between bacteria; and transposable genes between plasmids.

The bacterial response to the chalcogen metalloids Se and Te

Microbial metabolism of inorganics has been the subject of interest since the 1970s when it was recognized that bacteria are involved in the transformation of metal compounds in the environment. This area of research is generally referred to as bioinorganic chemistry or microbial biogeochemistry. Here, we overview the way the chalcogen metalloids Se and Te interact with bacteria. As a topic of considerable interest for basic and applied research, bacterial processing of tellurium and selenium oxyanions has been reviewed a few times over the past 15 years. Oddly, this is the first time these compounds have been considered together and their similarities and differences highlighted. Another aspect touched on for the first time by this review is the bacterial response in cell-cell or cell-surface aggregates (biofilms) against the metalloid oxyanions. Finally, in this review we have attempted to rationalize the considerable amount of literature available on bacterial resistance to the toxic metalloids tellurite and selenite.