title: An EXAFS study of zinc coordination in microbial cells.
abstract: Five microbes were isolated from metal amended enrichment cultures derived from the sediments of a lake contaminated by a zinc smelter. Each of these organisms was grown in pure culture in the presence of zinc. Quick Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (QEXAFS) spectroscopy was used to investigate the average coordination environment of the zinc associated with the microbial biomass. Fitting of the first coordination shell of zinc shows that significant differences exist for each microbial species examined. The coordination environment of zinc varies between sulfurs to six-fold nitrogen/oxygen. with two microbial strains showing mixed coordination shells. Further study is required in order to characterize these sites and their locations within the cell.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-3109, USA.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gaillard
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Stahl
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018533:Biomass; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000382:microbiology; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission / Q000379:methods; D013455:Sulfur / Q000378:metabolism; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D013455:Sulfur; D015032:Zinc; D009584:Nitrogen; D010100:Oxygen