The ars genotype characterization of arsenic-resistant bacteria from arsenic-contaminated gold-silver mines in the Republic of Korea.
The isolates were identified on the basis of ars genotype characteristics as well as arsenic oxidation/reduction analysis based on the molecular detection characterization. Diversity, pH range (4.0 to 7.0), location, and ars features were assessed for four arsenic-contaminated pond sites and six arsenic tailings located in the Duck-um mine and Myoung-bong mine areas. The presence of ars genes in the genomes of each bacterial strain was evaluated using polymerase chain reaction. Batch experiment results showed that Pseudomonas putida strains OS-3 and -18 completely oxidized 1 mM of arsenite(III) to arsenate(V) within 35-40 h. In contrast, two arsenate-reducing bacteria isolated from mines, P. putida RS-4 and RS-5, were capable of growing aerobically in growth medium supplemented with up to 66.7 mM arsenate(V), which are significantly higher concentration than those tolerated by other arsenic-resistant bacteria. These results suggest that newly isolated indigenous arsenic-resistant bacteria may provide a better understanding of the molecular geomicrobiology and may be applied to the bioremediation of arsenic-contaminated mines in Korea. Ecologically, the redox potential plays an important role in arsenic toxicity and mobility in As-contaminated mine areas, as it facilitates the biogeochemical cycling activity of Pseudomonas sp. groups.
Arsenic Geoenvironment Laboratory, Department of Environment Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, 261 Cheomdan-gwagiro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, South Korea.
Jin-Soo
JS
Chang
Yang-Hoon
YH
Kim
Kyoung-Woong
KW
Kim
D001151:Arsenic / Q000378:metabolism*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006046:Gold; D007723:Korea; D008906:Mining; D010802:Phylogeny; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012834:Silver; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D012834:Silver; D006046:Gold; D001151:Arsenic