Utilization of solid "elemental" sulfur by the phototrophic purple sulfur bacterium Allochromatium vinosum: a sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy study.
The purple sulfur bacterium Allochromatium vinosum can use elemental sulfur as an electron donor for anoxygenic photosynthesis. The elemental sulfur is taken up, transformed into intracellular sulfur globules and oxidized to sulfate. Commercially available "elemental" sulfur usually consists of the two species cyclo-octasulfur and polymeric sulfur. The authors investigated whether only one sulfur species is used or at least preferred when Alc. vinosum takes up elemental sulfur and forms globules. To this end, Alc. vinosum was cultivated photolithoautotrophically with two types of elemental sulfur that differed in their cyclo-octasulfur : polymeric sulfur ratio, as well as with pure polymeric sulfur. Sulfur speciation was analysed using X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and sulfate contents were determined by HPLC to quantify the amount of elemental sulfur being taken up and oxidized by Alc. vinosum. The results show that Alc. vinosum uses only the polymeric sulfur (sulfur chain) fraction of elemental sulfur and is probably unable to take up and form sulfur globules from cyclo-octasulfur. Furthermore, direct cell-sulfur contact appears to be necessary for uptake of elemental sulfur by Alc. vinosum.
Franz
Bettina
B
Hochschule Niederrhein, Mikrobiologie und Lebensmittelhygiene, Rheydter Straße 277, 41065 Mönchengladbach, Germany.|Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Institut für Mikrobiologie & Biotechnologie, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany.
Lichtenberg
Henning
H
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Physikalisches Institut, Nußallee 12, 53115 Bonn, Germany.
Hormes
Josef
J
Louisiana State University, The John Bennett Johnston, Sr. Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices (CAMD), 6980 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, USA.|Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Physikalisches Institut, Nußallee 12, 53115 Bonn, Germany.
Modrow
Hartwig
H
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Physikalisches Institut, Nußallee 12, 53115 Bonn, Germany.
Dahl
Christiane
C
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Institut für Mikrobiologie & Biotechnologie, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany.
Prange
Alexander
A
Louisiana State University, The John Bennett Johnston, Sr. Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices (CAMD), 6980 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, USA.|Hochschule Niederrhein, Mikrobiologie und Lebensmittelhygiene, Rheydter Straße 277, 41065 Mönchengladbach, Germany.
D002844:Chromatium / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D052817:Phototrophic Processes; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D013455:Sulfur / Q000378:metabolism*; D014965:X-Rays
D013455:Sulfur