Phylogenetic and physiological diversity of dissimilatory ferric iron reducers in sediments of the polluted Scheldt estuary, Northwest Europe.
The potential for dissimilatory ferric iron [Fe(III)] reduction in intertidal sediments of the polluted Scheldt estuary, Northwest Europe, was assessed by combining field-based geochemical measurements with laboratory experiments on the associated microbiology. Microbial communities at a freshwater and brackish location were characterized by culture-independent 16S rRNA gene analysis, as well as enrichments, strain isolation and physiological screening. Dilution-to-extinction batch enrichments using a variety of Fe(III) sources were performed. The dilution factor of the inoculum in the enrichments had a more determining effect on the Fe(III)-reducing microbial community structure than the Fe(III) source. Well-known Fe(III) reducers, including members of the family Geobacteraceae and the genus Shewanella, constituted only a small fraction (< or = 1%) of the in situ microbial community. Instead, facultative anaerobic Ralstonia and strictly anaerobic, spore-forming Clostridium species dominated Fe(III) reduction. These species were able to utilize a variety of electron acceptors. This flexibility may help the organisms to survive in the dynamic estuarine environment. The high diversity and abundance of culturable Fe(III) reducers (4.6 x 10(5) and 2.4 x 10(4) cells g(-1) sediment at the freshwater and brackish site respectively), plus the high concentrations of chemically reducible solid-phase Fe(III) at the sites, implied a high potential for dissimilatory Fe(III) reduction in the estuarine sediments. Pore water chemical data further supported in situ dissimilatory Fe(III) reduction.
Lin
Bin
B
Department of Molecular Cell Physiology, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Hyacinthe
Christelle
C
Bonneville
Steeve
S
Braster
Martin
M
Van Cappellen
Philippe
P
Röling
Wilfred F M
WF
D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D005060:Europe; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000382:microbiology*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000382:microbiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S