Investigation of elemental sulfur speciation transformation mediated by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans.
The speciation transformation of elemental sulfur mediated by the leaching bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans was investigated using an integrated approach including scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES). Our results showed that when grown on elemental sulfur powder, At. ferrooxidans ATCC23270 cells were first attached to sulfur particles and modified the surface sulfur with some amphiphilic compounds. In addition, part of the elemental sulfur powder might be converted to polysulfides. Furthermore, sulfur globules were accumulated inside the cells. XANES spectra of these cells suggested that these globules consisted of elemental sulfur bound to thiol groups of protein.
He
Huan
H
Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education of China, School of Minerals Processing & Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410083, China. hehuan6819@126.com
Zhang
Cheng-Gui
CG
Xia
Jin-Lan
JL
Peng
An-An
AA
Yang
Yi
Y
Jiang
Hong-Chen
HC
Zheng
Lei
L
Ma
Chen-Yan
CY
Zhao
Yi-Dong
YD
Nie
Zhen-Yuan
ZY
Qiu
Guan-Zhou
GZ
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D042763:Acidithiobacillus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001711:Biotransformation; D003470:Culture Media; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis / Q000379:methods*; D017348:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning Transmission; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013440:Sulfides / Q000378:metabolism; D013455:Sulfur / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
D003470:Culture Media; D013440:Sulfides; D013455:Sulfur; C032915:polysulfide