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Reduction of molybdate by sulfate-reducing bacteria

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Abstract

Molybdate is an essential trace element required by biological systems including the anaerobic sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB); however, detrimental consequences may occur if molybdate is present in high concentrations in the environment. While molybdate is a structural analog of sulfate and inhibits sulfate respiration of SRB, little information is available concerning the effect of molybdate on pure cultures. We followed the growth of Desulfovibrio gigas ATCC 19364, Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough, Desulfovibrio desulfuricans DSM 642, and D. desulfuricans DSM 27774 in media containing sub-lethal levels of molybdate and observed a red-brown color in the culture fluid. Spectral analysis of the culture fluid revealed absorption peaks at 467, 395 and 314 nm and this color is proposed to be a molybdate–sulfide complex. Reduction of molybdate with the formation of molybdate disulfide occurs in the periplasm D. gigas and D. desulfuricans DSM 642. From these results we suggest that the occurrence of poorly crystalline Mo-sulfides in black shale may be a result from SRB reduction and selective enrichment of Mo in paleo-seawater.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported in part by grants from DOE-WERC, MARC and IMSD grants from National Institute of Health, and NASA Astrobiology Institute (N07-5489). Support also was provided by Delaware EPSCoR through the Delaware Biotechnology Institute with funds from the National Science Foundation Grant EPS-0447610 and the State of Delaware. Genome analysis was from the Institute for Genomic Research Comprehensive Microbial Database at www.tigr.org.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Science, Wesley College, Dover, DE, 19901, USA

    Keka C. Biswas

  2. Department of Biology, Laboratory of Microbial Chemistry, University of New Mexico, MSCO3 2020, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA

    Nicole A. Woodards & Larry L. Barton

  3. Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53706, USA

    Huifang Xu

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  1. Keka C. Biswas
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  2. Nicole A. Woodards
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  4. Larry L. Barton
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Correspondence to Larry L. Barton.

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Biswas, K.C., Woodards, N.A., Xu, H. et al. Reduction of molybdate by sulfate-reducing bacteria. Biometals 22, 131–139 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10534-008-9198-8

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