Sulfide ameliorates metal toxicity for deep-sea hydrothermal vent archaea.
The chemical stress factors for microbial life at deep-sea hydrothermal vents include high concentrations of heavy metals and sulfide. Three hyperthermophilic vent archaea, the sulfur-reducing heterotrophs Thermococcus fumicolans and Pyrococcus strain GB-D and the chemolithoautotrophic methanogen Methanocaldococcus jannaschii, were tested for survival tolerance to heavy metals (Zn, Co, and Cu) and sulfide. The sulfide addition consistently ameliorated the high toxicity of free metal cations by the formation of dissolved metal-sulfide complexes as well as solid precipitates. Thus, chemical speciation of heavy metals with sulfide allows hydrothermal vent archaea to tolerate otherwise toxic metal concentrations in their natural environment.
Edgcomb
Virginia P
VP
Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA. vedgcomb@whoi.edu
Molyneaux
Stephen J
SJ
Saito
Mak A
MA
Lloyd
Karen
K
Böer
Simone
S
Wirsen
Carl O
CO
Atkins
Michael S
MS
Teske
Andreas
A
D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001105:Archaea / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D006358:Hot Temperature; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000633:toxicity*; D017015:Methanococcales / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D019711:Pyrococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology*; D013440:Sulfides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019712:Thermococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity
D019216:Metals, Heavy; D013440:Sulfides; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical