Abstract
The intermediary production of elemental sulfur during the microbial oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds has frequently been reported. Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, an acidophilic chemolithoautotroph, was found to produce an insoluble sulfur compound, primarily elemental sulfur, during the oxidation of thiosulfate, trithionate, tetrathionate and sulfide. This was confirmed by light and electron microscopy. Sulfur was produced from sulfide by an oxidative step, while the production from tetrathionate was initiated by a hydrolytic step, probably followed by a series of chemical reactions. The oxidation of intermediary sulfur was severely inhibited by sulfhydryl-binding reagents such as N-ethylmaleimide, by the addition of uncouplers or after freezing and thawing of the cells, which probably damaged the cell membrane. The mechanisms behind these inhibitions have not yet been clarified. Finally, it was observed that elemental sulfur oxidation by whole cells depended on the medium composition. The absence of sulfate or selenate reduced the sulfur oxidation rate.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- NEM:
-
N-ethylmaleimide
- CCCP:
-
carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone
References
Arkesteyn GJMW (1980) Contribution of microorganisms to the oxidation of pyrite. Thesis, Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Beyer M, Ebner HG, Klein J (1986) Influence of pulp density and bioreactor design on microbial desulphurization of coal. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 24:342–346
Bruynesteyn A, Lawrence RW, Vizsolyi A, Hackl R (1983) An elemental sulphur producing biohydrometallurgical process for treating sulphide concentrates. In: Rossi G, Torma AE (eds) Progress in biohydrometallurgy. Associazione Mineraria Sarda, Iglesias, pp 151–168
Emmel T, Sand W, Konig WA, Bock E (1986) Evidence for the existence of a sulphur oxygenase in Sulfolobus brierleyi. J Gen Microbiol 132:3415–3420
Fry IV, Lazaroff N, Packer L (1986) Sulfate-dependent iron oxidation by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans: Characterization of a new EPR detectable electron transport component on the reducing side of rusticyanin. Arch Biochem Biophys 246:650–654
Gromova LA, Karavaiko GI, Sevtsov AV, Pereverzev NA (1983) Identification and distribution of sulfur in Thiobacillus ferrooxidans cells. Microbiology 52:357–363
Hazeu W, Bijleveld W, Grotenhuis JTC, Kakes E, Kuenen JG (1986) Kinetics and energetics of reduced sulphur oxidation by chemostat cultures of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek J Microbiol 52:507–518
Hazeu W, Schmedding DJ, Goddijn O, Bos P, Kuenen JG (1987) The importance of the sulphur oxidizing capacity of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans during leaching of pyrite. In: Neijssel OM, Meer van der RR, Luyben K (eds) Proc 4th European Congress on Biotechnology 1987, vol 3. Elsevier, Amsterdam Oxford New York Tokyo, pp 497–499
Karavaiko GI, Gromova LA, Pereverzev NA (1984) Nature of sulfur-containing components and its functions in Thiobacillus ferrooxidans cells. Microbiology 52:433–437
Kelly DP (1982) Biochemistry of the chemolithotrophic oxidation of inorganic sulphur. Phil Trans Roy Soc Lond B 298:499–528
Kelly DP (1985) Physiology of the thiobacilli: elucidating the sulphur oxidation pathway. Microbiol Sci 2:105–109
Lazaroff N (1977) The specificity of the anionic requirement for iron oxidation by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. J Gen Microbiol 101:85–92
Lu WP, Kelly DP (1988a) Kinetic and energetic aspects of inorganic sulphur compound oxidation by Thiobacillus tepidarius. J Gen Microbiol 134:865–876
Lu WP, Kelly DP (1988b) Cellular location and partial purification of the ‘thiosulphate-oxidizing enzyme” and ‘trithionate hydrolyase’ from Thiobacillus tepidarius. J Gen Microbiol 134: 877–885
Mackintosh ME (1978) Nitrogen fixation by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. J Gen Microbiol 105:215–218
Okuzumi M (1966) Studies on biochemistry of the Thiobacilli, part 8. Dismutation of tetrathionate by Thiobacillus thiooxidans. Agr Biol Chem 30:313–318
Sato T, Mizoguchi T, Okabe T (1976) Oxidation of inorganic sulfur compounds by thiobacilli. J Ferment Technol 54:361–368
Schedel M, Trüper HG (1980) Anaerobic oxidation of thiosulfate and elemental sulfur in Thiobacillus denitrificans. Arch Microbiol 124:205–210
Silverman MP (1967) Mechanisms of bacterial pyrite oxidation. J Bacteriol 94:1046–1051
Sörbo B (1957) A colorimetric method for the determination of thiosulfate. Biochim Biophys Acta 23:412–416
Steudel R, Hold G, Göbel T, Hazeu W (1987) Chromatographic separation of higher polythionates SnO 2-6 (n=3...22) and their detection in cultures of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans; Molecular composition of bacterial sulfur secretions. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 26:151–153
Strohl WR, Geffers I, Larkin LM (1981) Structure of the sulfur inclusion envelopes from four Beggiatoas. Curr Microbiol 6:75–79
Suzuki I (1965) Incorporation of atmospheric oxygen-18 into thiosulfate by the sulfur-oxidizing enzyme of Thiobacillus thiooxidans. Biochim Biophys Acta 110:97–101
Trüper HG (1978) Sulfur metabolism. In: Clayton RK, Sistrom WR (eds) The photosynthetic bacteria. Plenum Press, New York London, pp 677–690
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hazeu, W., Batenburg-van der Vegte, W.H., Bos, P. et al. The production and utilization of intermediary elemental sulfur during the oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans . Arch. Microbiol. 150, 574–579 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00408252
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00408252