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Neutrophilic, nitrate-dependent, Fe(II) oxidation by a Dechloromonas species

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Abstract

A species of Dechloromonas, strain UWNR4, was isolated from a nitrate-reducing, enrichment culture obtained from Wisconsin River (USA) sediments. This strain was characterized for anaerobic oxidation of both aqueous and chelated Fe(II) coupled to nitrate reduction at circumneutral pH. Dechloromonas sp. UWNR4 was incubated in anoxic batch reactors in a defined medium containing 4.5–5 mM NO3 −, 6 mM Fe2+ and 1–1.8 mM acetate. Strain UWNR4 efficiently oxidized Fe2+ with 90 % oxidation of Fe2+ after 3 days of incubation. However, oxidation of Fe2+ resulted in Fe(III)-hydroxide-encrusted cells and loss of metabolic activity, suggested by inability of the cells to utilize further additions of acetate. In similar experiments with chelated iron (Fe(II)-EDTA), encrusted cells were not produced and further additions of acetate and Fe(II)-EDTA could be oxidized. Although members of the genus Dechloromonas are primarily known as perchlorate and nitrate reducers, our findings suggest that some species could be members of microbial communities influencing iron redox cycling in anoxic, freshwater sediments. Our work using Fe(II)-EDTA also demonstrates that Fe(II) oxidation was microbially catalyzed rather than a result of abiotic oxidation by biogenic NO2 −.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the contributions of Melissa Barlett for her assistance with 16S rDNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. We acknowledge National Science Foundation grant EAR-0525069 to F.P. for support of this research.

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  1. School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, MSBII, Room 418, 702 N. Walnut Grove Ave, Bloomington, IN, 47405-2204, USA

    Anirban Chakraborty & Flynn Picardal

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  1. Anirban Chakraborty
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  2. Flynn Picardal
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Correspondence to Flynn Picardal.

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Chakraborty, A., Picardal, F. Neutrophilic, nitrate-dependent, Fe(II) oxidation by a Dechloromonas species. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 29, 617–623 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-012-1217-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-012-1217-9

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