Dataset Information

Evolution of microbial "streamer" growths in an acidic, metal-contaminated stream draining an abandoned underground copper mine.

ABSTRACT: A nine year study was carried out on the evolution of macroscopic "acid streamer" growths in acidic, metal-rich mine water from the point of construction of a new channel to drain an abandoned underground copper mine. The new channel became rapidly colonized by acidophilic bacteria: two species of autotrophic iron-oxidizers (Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans and "Ferrovum myxofaciens") and a heterotrophic iron-oxidizer (a novel genus/species with the proposed name "Acidithrix ferrooxidans"). The same bacteria dominated the acid streamer communities for the entire nine year period, with the autotrophic species accounting for ~80% of the micro-organisms in the streamer growths (as determined by terminal restriction enzyme fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis). Biodiversity of the acid streamers became somewhat greater in time, and included species of heterotrophic acidophiles that reduce ferric iron (Acidiphilium, Acidobacterium, Acidocella and gammaproteobacterium WJ2) and other autotrophic iron-oxidizers (Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Leptospirillum ferrooxidans). The diversity of archaea in the acid streamers was far more limited; relatively few clones were obtained, all of which were very distantly related to known species of euryarchaeotes. Some differences were apparent between the acid streamer community and planktonic-phase bacteria. This study has provided unique insights into the evolution of an extremophilic microbial community, and identified several novel species of acidophilic prokaryotes.

SUBMITTER: Kay CM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4187193 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Evolution of microbial "streamer" growths in an acidic, metal-contaminated stream draining an abandoned underground copper mine.

Kay Catherine M CM Rowe Owen F OF Rocchetti Laura L Coupland Kris K Hallberg Kevin B KB Johnson D Barrie DB

Life (Basel, Switzerland) 20130207 1

A nine year study was carried out on the evolution of macroscopic "acid streamer" growths in acidic, metal-rich mine water from the point of construction of a new channel to drain an abandoned underground copper mine. The new channel became rapidly colonized by acidophilic bacteria: two species of autotrophic iron-oxidizers (Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans and "Ferrovum myxofaciens") and a heterotrophic iron-oxidizer (a novel genus/species with the proposed name "Acidithrix ferrooxidans"). The sam ...[more]

PMID: 25371339

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Dataset Information

Evolution of microbial "streamer" growths in an acidic, metal-contaminated stream draining an abandoned underground copper mine.

Publications

Evolution of microbial "streamer" growths in an acidic, metal-contaminated stream draining an abandoned underground copper mine.

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