title: Identification of Bacteria Synthesizing Ribosomal RNA in Response to Uranium Addition During Biostimulation at the Rifle, CO Integrated Field Research Site.
abstract: Understanding which organisms are capable of reducing uranium at historically contaminated sites provides crucial information needed to evaluate treatment options and outcomes. One approach is determination of the bacteria which directly respond to uranium addition. In this study, uranium amendments were made to groundwater samples from a site of ongoing biostimulation with acetate. The active microbes in the planktonic phase were deduced by monitoring ribosomes production via RT-PCR. The results indicated several microorganisms were synthesizing ribosomes in proportion with uranium amendment up to 2 μM. Concentrations of U (VI) >2 μM were generally found to inhibit ribosome synthesis. Two active bacteria responding to uranium addition in the field were close relatives of Desulfobacter postgateii and Geobacter bemidjiensis. Since RNA content often increases with growth rate, our findings suggest it is possible to rapidly elucidate active bacteria responding to the addition of uranium in field samples and provides a more targeted approach to stimulate specific populations to enhance radionuclide reduction in contaminated sites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine and Coastal Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States of America.
authors.forename: Lora R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: McGuinness
authors.affiliation: School of Earth Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States of America.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wilkins
authors.affiliation: Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Kenneth H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Philip E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Long
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine and Coastal Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States of America.
authors.forename: Lee J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Kerkhof
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D003120:Colorado; D020564:Deltaproteobacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D045302:Geobacter / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D060587:Groundwater / Q000032:analysis / Q000382:microbiology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014501:Uranium / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive; D014501:Uranium