Linking microbial oxidation of arsenic with detection and phylogenetic analysis of arsenite oxidase genes in diverse geothermal environments
N. Hamamura, R. E. Macur, S. Korf, G. Ackerman, W. P. Taylor, M. Kozubal, A.-L. Reysenbach and W. P. Inskeep
Environmental Microbiology, 2009
Abstract
The identification and characterization of genes
involved in the microbial oxidation of arsenite will
contribute to our understanding of factors controlling
As cycling in natural systems. Towards this goal, we
recently characterized the widespread occurrence of
aerobic arsenite oxidase genes (aroA-like) from pureculture
bacterial isolates, soils, sediments and geothermal
mats, but were unable to detect these genes
in all geothermal systems where we have observed
microbial arsenite oxidation. Consequently, the objectives
of the current study were to measure arseniteoxidation
rates in geochemically diverse thermal
habitats in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) ranging in
pH from 2.6 to 8, and to identify corresponding 16S
rRNA and aroA genotypes associated with these
arsenite-oxidizing environments. Geochemical analyses,
including measurement of arsenite-oxidation
rates within geothermal outflow channels, were combined
with 16S rRNA gene and aroA functional gene
analysis using newly designed primers to capture
previously undescribed aroA-like arsenite oxidase
gene diversity. The majority of bacterial 16S
rRNA gene sequences found in acidic (pH 2.6–3.6)
Fe-oxyhydroxide microbial mats were closely related
to Hydrogenobaculum spp. (members of the bacterial
order Aquificales), while the predominant sequences
from near-neutral (pH 6.2–8) springs were affiliated
with other Aquificales including Sulfurihydrogenibium
spp., Thermocrinis spp. and Hydrogenobacter spp., as well as members of the Deinococci, Thermodesulfobacteria
and beta-Proteobacteria. Modified primers
designed around previously characterized and newly
identified aroA-like genes successfully amplified new
lineages of aroA-like genes associated with members
of the Aquificales across all geothermal systems
examined. The expression of Aquificales aroA-like
genes was also confirmed in situ, and the resultant
cDNA sequences were consistent with aroA genotypes
identified in the same environments. The aroA
sequences identified in the current study expand the
phylogenetic distribution of known Mo-pterin arsenite
oxidase genes, and suggest the importance of three
prominent genera of the order Aquificales in arsenite
oxidation across geochemically distinct geothermal
habitats ranging in pH from 2.6 to 8.
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