Molecular analysis of a sulphate-reducing consortium used to treat metal-containing effluents

TY - JOUR

T1 - Molecular analysis of a sulphate-reducing consortium used to treat metal-containing effluents

AU - Boothman, C.

AU - Hockin, S.

AU - Holmes, D. E.

AU - Gadd, G. M.

AU - Lloyd, J. R.

N1 - This work was supported by a grant from the Manchester Research Support Fund (to JRL). GMG gratefully acknowledges initial financial support from the BBSRC (LINK Programme grant 94/BSW 05375) in collaboration with BNFL and Westlakes Research Institute. S.H. gratefully acknowledges receipt of a BBSRC industrial CASE studentship with BNFL.

PY - 2006/12

Y1 - 2006/12

N2 - A sulphate-reducing consortium used in a bioprocess to remove toxic metals from solution as insoluble sulphides, was characterised using molecular (PCR-based) and traditional culturing techniques. After prolonged cultivation under anoxic biofilm-forming conditions, the mixed culture contained a low diversity of sulphate-reducing bacteria, dominated by one strain closely related to Desulfomicrobium norvegicum, identified by three independent PCR-based analyses. The genetic targets used were the 16S rRNA gene, the 16S-23S rRNA gene intergenic spacer region and the disulfite reductase (dsr) gene, which is conserved amongst all known sulphate-reducing bacteria. This organism was also isolated by conventional anaerobic techniques, confirming its presence in the mixed culture. A surprising diversity of other non-sulphate-reducing facultative and obligate anaerobes were detected, supporting a model of the symbiotic/commensal nature of carbon and energy fluxes in such a mixed culture while suggesting the physiological capacity for a wide range of biotransformations by this stable microbial consortium.

AB - A sulphate-reducing consortium used in a bioprocess to remove toxic metals from solution as insoluble sulphides, was characterised using molecular (PCR-based) and traditional culturing techniques. After prolonged cultivation under anoxic biofilm-forming conditions, the mixed culture contained a low diversity of sulphate-reducing bacteria, dominated by one strain closely related to Desulfomicrobium norvegicum, identified by three independent PCR-based analyses. The genetic targets used were the 16S rRNA gene, the 16S-23S rRNA gene intergenic spacer region and the disulfite reductase (dsr) gene, which is conserved amongst all known sulphate-reducing bacteria. This organism was also isolated by conventional anaerobic techniques, confirming its presence in the mixed culture. A surprising diversity of other non-sulphate-reducing facultative and obligate anaerobes were detected, supporting a model of the symbiotic/commensal nature of carbon and energy fluxes in such a mixed culture while suggesting the physiological capacity for a wide range of biotransformations by this stable microbial consortium.

KW - 16S rRNA analysis

KW - Biofilm

KW - Desulfomicrobium sp.

KW - Metal bioremediation

KW - Molecular ecology

KW - Sulphate-reducing bacteria

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/33750612223

U2 - 10.1007/s10534-006-0006-z

DO - 10.1007/s10534-006-0006-z

M3 - Article

C2 - 16946985

AN - SCOPUS:33750612223

SN - 0966-0844

VL - 19

SP - 601

EP - 609

JO - BioMetals

JF - BioMetals

IS - 6

ER -