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Insights into the fluoride-resistant regulation mechanism of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 23270 based on whole genome microarrays

  • Genetics and Molecular Biology of Industrial Organisms - Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology

Abstract

Acidophilic microorganisms involved in uranium bioleaching are usually suppressed by dissolved fluoride ions, eventually leading to reduced leaching efficiency. However, little is known about the regulation mechanisms of microbial resistance to fluoride. In this study, the resistance of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 23270 to fluoride was investigated by detecting bacterial growth fluctuations and ferrous or sulfur oxidation. To explore the regulation mechanism, a whole genome microarray was used to profile the genome-wide expression. The fluoride tolerance of A. ferrooxidans cultured in the presence of FeSO4 was better than that cultured with the S0 substrate. The differentially expressed gene categories closely related to fluoride tolerance included those involved in energy metabolism, cellular processes, protein synthesis, transport, the cell envelope, and binding proteins. This study highlights that the cellular ferrous oxidation ability was enhanced at the lower fluoride concentrations. An overview of the cellular regulation mechanisms of extremophiles to fluoride resistance is discussed.

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC 31570113) and Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of Central South University (2016zzts110).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, 410083, Changsha, China

    Liyuan Ma, Li Shen, Xue Feng, Yunhua Xiao, Jiemeng Tao, Yili Liang, Huaqun Yin & Xueduan Liu

  2. Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy, Ministry of Education, Changsha, China

    Liyuan Ma, Li Shen, Xue Feng, Yunhua Xiao, Jiemeng Tao, Yili Liang, Huaqun Yin & Xueduan Liu

  3. School of Nuclear Resources Engineering, University of South China, Hengyang, China

    Qian Li

  4. Key Discipline Laboratory for National Defense of Biotechnology in Uranium Mining and Hydrometallurgy, University of South China, Hengyang, China

    Qian Li

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  1. Liyuan Ma
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10295_2016_1827_MOESM1_ESM.tif

Fig. S1 Differentially expressed genes grouped by functional classification according to the TIGR A. ferrooxidans ATCC 23270 genome database. Columns: a biosynthesis of cofactors, prosthetic groups, and carriers; b central intermediary metabolism; c mobile and extrachromosomal element functions; d amino acid biosynthesis; e cell envelope; f cellular processes; g DNA metabolism; h energy metabolism; i fatty acid and phospholipid metabolism; j protein fate; k protein synthesis; l purines, pyrimidines, nucleosides, and nucleotides; m regulatory functions; n signal transduction; o transcription; p transport and binding proteins; q hypothetical Proteins-Conserved; r hypothetical Proteins; s unknown functions (TIFF 335 kb)

10295_2016_1827_MOESM2_ESM.tif

Fig. S2 The heatmap exhibits the four co-expression clusters of 22 genes. Red and blue represent co-expression values as 1 and −1, respectively. Genes: 1 transglutaminase-like domain protein (AFE0202); 2 conserved hypothetical protein (AFE0381); 3 ATP-dependent DNA helicase RecQ (AFE0903); 4 conserved hypothetical protein (AFE1091); 5 PIN domain protein (AFE0126); 6 hypothetical protein (AFE1867); 7 transcriptional regulator, GntR family (AFE0811); 8 hypothetical protein (AFE1300); 9 drug resistance transporter, EmrB/QacA family (AFE0913); 10 hypothetical protein (AFE0677); 11 glycogen synthase (AFE0427); 12 transposon, transposition protein B, putative (AFE0597); 13 amino acid permease family protein (AFE0645); 14 hypothetical protein (AFE0868); 15 drug resistance transporter, EmrB/QacA family (AFE2124); 16 PQQ enzyme repeat domain protein (AFE0847); 17 GTP-binding protein (AFE0926); 18 xylulose-5-phosphate/fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase (AFE1041); 19 outer membrane toxin secretion efflux protein, putative (AFE0929); 20 major facilitator family transporter (AFE0821); 21 hypothetical protein (AFE2209); 22 ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase, cytochrome b subunit (AFE0375) (TIFF 1147 kb)

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Ma, L., Li, Q., Shen, L. et al. Insights into the fluoride-resistant regulation mechanism of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 23270 based on whole genome microarrays. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 43, 1441–1453 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-016-1827-6

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