Arsenic-resistant bacteria isolated from agricultural soils of Bangladesh and characterization of arsenate-reducing strains.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the arsenic-resistant bacterial communities of two agricultural soils of Bangladesh, to isolate arsenic-resistant bacteria, to study their potential role in arsenic transformation and to investigate the genetic determinants for arsenic resistance among the isolates.


RESULTS
Enrichment cultures were performed in a minimal medium in the presence of As(III) and As(V) to isolate resistant bacteria. Twenty-one arsenic-resistant bacteria belonging to different genera of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were isolated. The isolates, with the exception of Oceanimonas doudoroffii Dhal Rw, reduced 2 mmol l(-1) As(V) completely to As(III) in aerobic conditions. Putative gene fragments for arsenite efflux pumps were amplified in isolates from Dhal soil and a putative arsenate reductase gene fragment was amplified from a Bacillus sp. from Rice soil.


CONCLUSIONS
Phylogenetically diverse arsenic-resistant bacteria present in agricultural soils of Bangladesh are capable of reducing arsenate to arsenite under aerobic conditions apparently for detoxification purpose.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides results on identification, levels of arsenic resistance and reduction of arsenate by the bacterial isolates which could play an important role in arsenic cycling in the two arsenic-contaminated soils in Bangladesh.
Bachate
S P
SP
Department of Food Science and Microbiology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Cavalca
L
L
Andreoni
V
V
D001151:Arsenic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001459:Bangladesh; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*
D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D001151:Arsenic