Abstract
The adhesion of Nitrosomonas sp. and Nitrobacter sp. cells isolated from fishpond sediment to different solid particles was studied. Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter cells rapidly attached to particles of bentonite, calcium carbonate, amberlite, and fishpond sediment, however they did not adhere to phenyl-sepharose beads. The nitrifying activity of attached bacteria was greater than the activity of freely suspended cells or the activity of cells which have been detached from CaCO3 particles. The enhancement in the nitrifying activity was rapid and was already observed within the first hour after attachment (which equals only 1/24 to 1/50 of the generation time of Nitrosomonas sp. or Nitrobacter sp. In addition, the survival of the attached bacteria under both anaerobic and under aerobic incubation was extended to weeks, compared to only a few days for the free cells. The presence of substrate (ammonia or nitrite) during the anaerobic incubation period was found not to affect the survival time of the bacteria. Finally, it was found that the attachment of Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter cells to CaCO3 particles affected the dispersal and sinking rate of these particles.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abeliovich A (1987) Nitrifying bacteria in wastewater reservoirs. Appl Environ Microbiol 53:754–760
Anderson JH (1964) The metabolism of hydroxylamine to nitrate by Nitrosomonas. Biochem J 91:8–17
Anderson JH (1965) Estimation of the nitric oxide formed from hydroxylamine by Nitrosomonas. Biochem J 94:236–239
Ardakani MS, Rehbock JT, McLaren AD (1974) Oxidation of ammonium to nitrate in a soil column. Soil Sci Sco Am Proc 38:96–99
Belser LW (1977) Nitrate reduction to nitrite, a possible source of nitrite for growth of nitrite oxidizing bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol 34:403–410
Belser LW (1979) Population ecology of nitrifying bacteria. Ann Rev Microbiol 33:309–333
Bright JJ, Fletcher M (1983) Amino acid assimilation and electron transport system activity in attached and free-living marine bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol 45:818–825
Cavari BZ (1977) Nitrification potential and factors governing the rate of nitrification in Lake Kinneret. Oikos 28:285–290
Cooper AB (1983) Population ecology of nitrifiers in a streat receiving geothermal inputs of ammonium. Appl Environ Microbiol 45:1170–1177
Fletcher M (1984) Comparative physiology of attached and free-living bacteria. In: Marshall KC (ed) Microbial adhesion and aggregation. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 223–232
Focht DD, Verstraete W (1977) Biochemical ecology of nitrification and denitrification. Adv Microbiol Ecol 1:135–214
Hansen JI, Henriksen K, Blackburn TH (1981) Seasonal distribution of nitrifying bacteria and rate of nitrification in coastal marine sediment. Microb Ecol 8:297–304
Kune F, Stotzky G (1980) Acceleration by montmorillonite of nitrification in soil. Folia Microbiol 25:106–125
Lees H, Quastel JH (1946) Biochemistry of nitrification in soil. 2. The site of soil nitrification. Biochem J 40:815–823
Lowry OH, Rosebrough NJ, Farr AJ, Randall RJ (1951) Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 193:265–275
Macura J, Stotzky G (1980) Effect of montmorillonite and kaolinite on nitrification in soil. Folia Microbiol 25:90–105
Marshall KC (1976) Interfaces in microbial ecology. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass
Martin JP, Filip Z, Haiden K (1976) Effect of montmorillonite and humate on growth and metabolic activity of some actinomycetes. Soil Biol Biochem 8:409–413
Paerl HW, Richards RC, Leonard RL, Goldman CR (1975) Seasonal nitrate cycling as evidence for complete vertical mixing in Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada. Limnol Oceanogr 20:1–8
Painter HA (1970) A review of literature on inorganic nitrogen metabolism in microorganisms. Water Res 4:393–450
Powell SJ (1987) Laboratory studies of inhibition of nitrification. In: Prosser JI (ed) Nitrification, vol 20. IRL Press, Oxford Washington DC, pp 79–97
Solorzano L (1969) Determination of ammonia in natural waters by the phenol-hypochlorite method. Limnol Oceanogr 14:779–801
Stotzky G (1980) Surface interactions of microorganisms, viruses and organics with clay minerals and the probable importance of these interactions in microbial ecology and in migration of clay-organic complexes. Colloq Int CNRS 303:173–181
Stotzky G (1986) Influence of soil mineral colloids on metabolic processes, growth, adhesion, and ecology of microbes and viruses. In: Interactions of soil minerals with natural organics and microbes. SSSA Spec Pub no 17, pp 305–428
Strickland JDH, Parsons TR (1968) A practical handbook of seawater analysis. Bull Fish Res Bd Can, 167
Sundermeyer-Klinger H, Meyer W, Warninghoff B, Bock E (1984) Membrane-bound nitrite oxidoreductase of Nitrobacter: evidence for a nitrate reductase system. Arch Microbiol 140:153–158
Underhill SG, Prosser JI (1987) Surface attachment of nitrifying bacteria and their inhibition by potassium ethylxanthate. Microb Ecol 14:129–139
Zobell CE (1943) The effect of soil surfaces upon bacterial activity. J Bacteriol 46:39–56
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Diab, S., Shilo, M. Effect of adhesion to particles on the survival and activity of Nitrosomonas sp. and Nitrobacter sp.. Arch. Microbiol. 150, 387–393 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00408312
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00408312