title: Hexavalent uranium supports growth of Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans and Geobacter spp. with lower than predicted biomass yields.
abstract: The stimulation of bacteria capable of reducing soluble U(VI) to sparingly soluble U(IV) is a promising approach for containing U(VI) plumes. Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans is capable of mediating this activity; however, its ability to couple U(VI) reduction to growth has not been established. Monitoring the increase in 16S rRNA gene copy numbers using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) in cultures provided with U(VI) as an electron acceptor demonstrated growth, and 7.7-8.6 x 10(6) cells were produced per mumole of U(VI) reduced. This biomass yield was lower than predicted based on the theoretical free energy changes associated with U(VI)-to-U(IV) reduction. Lower than predicted growth yields with U(VI) as electron acceptor were also determined in cultures of Geobacter lovleyi and Geobacter sulfurreducens suggesting that U(VI) reduction is inefficient or imposes an additional cost to growing cells. These findings have implications for U(VI) bioremediation because Anaeromyxobacter spp. and Geobacter spp. contribute to radionuclide immobilization in contaminated subsurface environments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801-2352, USA.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Sanford
authors.forename: Qingzhong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Youlboong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Sara H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Benjamin K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Amos
authors.forename: Emily K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Prince
authors.forename: Frank E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Löffler
mesh_terms: D004583:Electrons; D045302:Geobacter / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009231:Myxococcales / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000032:analysis; D014501:Uranium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D014501:Uranium