Microbial communities from different subsystems in biological heap leaching system play different roles in iron and sulfur metabolisms.
The microbial communities are important for minerals decomposition in biological heap leaching system. However, the differentiation and relationship of composition and function of microbial communities between leaching heap (LH) and leaching solution (LS) are still unclear. In this study, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to assess the microbial communities from the two subsystems in ZiJinShan copper mine (Fujian province, China). Results of PCoA and dissimilarity test showed that microbial communities in LH samples were significantly different from those in LS samples. The dominant genera of LH was Acidithiobacillus (57.2 ∼ 87.9 %), while Leptospirillum (48.6 ∼ 73.7 %) was predominant in LS. Environmental parameters (especially pH) were the major factors to influence the composition and structure of microbial community by analysis of Mantel tests. Results of functional test showed that microbial communities in LH utilized sodium thiosulfate more quickly and utilized ferrous sulfate more slowly than those in LS, which further indicated that the most sulfur-oxidizing processes of bioleaching took place in LH and the most iron-oxidizing processes were in LS. Further study found that microbial communities in LH had stronger pyrite leaching ability, and iron extraction efficiency was significantly positively correlated with Acidithiobacillus (dominated in LH), which suggested that higher abundance ratio of sulfur-oxidizing microbes might in favor of minerals decomposition. Finally, a conceptual model was designed through the above results to better exhibit the sulfur and iron metabolism in bioleaching systems.
School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.|Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
Yunhua
Y
Xiao
School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.|Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
Xueduan
X
Liu
School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.|Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
Liyuan
L
Ma
School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.|Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
Yili
Y
Liang
School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.|Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
Jiaojiao
J
Niu
School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.|Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
Yabing
Y
Gu
School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.|Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
Xian
X
Zhang
School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.|Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
Xiaodong
X
Hao
School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.|Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
Weiling
W
Dong
School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.|Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
Siyuan
S
She
School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China. yinhuaqun_cs@sina.com.|Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China. yinhuaqun_cs@sina.com.
Huaqun
H
Yin
D042763:Acidithiobacillus / Q000378:metabolism*; D001105:Archaea / Q000378:metabolism*; D044822:Biodiversity; D003300:Copper; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D064307:Microbiota; D008906:Mining; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D013455:Sulfur / Q000378:metabolism*
D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D013455:Sulfur; D003300:Copper; D007501:Iron
16S rRNA gene sequencing; Conceptual model; Leaching heap; Leaching solution; Linear regression analysis; PCoA