scholarly journals The oyster enigma variations: a hypothesis of microbial calcification

Paleobiology ◽  
10.1666/13002 ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geerat J. Vermeij

Oysters, whose inner shell layer contains chambers, vesicles, and sometimes chalky deposits, often have extraordinarily thick shells of large size, prompting the idea that there is something unusual about the process of shell fPormation in these and similarly structured bivalves with the oyster syndrome. I propose the hypothesis that calcifying microbes, especially sulfate-reducing bacteria growing on organic substrates in fluid-filled shell-wall chambers, are responsible for shell calcification away from the shell-secreting mantle of the host bivalve. Other phenomena, including the formation of cameral deposits in fossil cephalopods, the cementation of molluscs and barnacles to hard substrata, the formation of a calcified intriticalx on the shell's exterior, and cementation of objects by gastropods on the shell for camouflage, may also involve calcifying bacteria. Several lines of inquiry are suggested to test these hypotheses.

2003 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 2942-2949 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen L. Londry ◽  
David J. Des Marais

ABSTRACT Biogeochemical transformations occurring in the anoxic zones of stratified sedimentary microbial communities can profoundly influence the isotopic and organic signatures preserved in the fossil record. Accordingly, we have determined carbon isotope discrimination that is associated with both heterotrophic and lithotrophic growth of pure cultures of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). For heterotrophic-growth experiments, substrate consumption was monitored to completion. Sealed vessels containing SRB cultures were harvested at different time intervals, and δ13C values were determined for gaseous CO2, organic substrates, and products such as biomass. For three of the four SRB, carbon isotope effects between the substrates, acetate or lactate and CO2, and the cell biomass were small, ranging from 0 to 2‰. However, for Desulfotomaculum acetoxidans, the carbon incorporated into biomass was isotopically heavier than the available substrates by 8 to 9‰. SRB grown lithoautotrophically consumed less than 3% of the available CO2 and exhibited substantial discrimination (calculated as isotope fractionation factors [α]), as follows: for Desulfobacterium autotrophicum, α values ranged from 1.0100 to 1.0123; for Desulfobacter hydrogenophilus, the α value was 0.0138, and for Desulfotomaculum acetoxidans, the α value was 1.0310. Mixotrophic growth of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans on acetate and CO2 resulted in biomass with a δ13C composition intermediate to that of the substrates. The extent of fractionation depended on which enzymatic pathways were used, the direction in which the pathways operated, and the growth rate, but fractionation was not dependent on the growth phase. To the extent that environmental conditions affect the availability of organic substrates (e.g., acetate) and reducing power (e.g., H2), ecological forces can also influence carbon isotope discrimination by SRB.


1999 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 999-1004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerda Harms ◽  
Karsten Zengler ◽  
Ralf Rabus ◽  
Frank Aeckersberg ◽  
Dror Minz ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Various alkylbenzenes were depleted during growth of an anaerobic, sulfate-reducing enrichment culture with crude oil as the only source of organic substrates. From this culture, two new types of mesophilic, rod-shaped sulfate-reducing bacteria, strains oXyS1 and mXyS1, were isolated with o-xylene and m-xylene, respectively, as organic substrates. Sequence analyses of 16S rRNA genes revealed that the isolates affiliated with known completely oxidizing sulfate-reducing bacteria of the δ subclass of the classProteobacteria. Strain oXyS1 showed the highest similarities to Desulfobacterium cetonicum andDesulfosarcina variabilis (similarity values, 98.4 and 98.7%, respectively). Strain mXyS1 was less closely related to known species, the closest relative being Desulfococcus multivorans (similarity value, 86.9%). Complete mineralization of o-xylene and m-xylene was demonstrated in quantitative growth experiments. Strain oXyS1 was able to utilize toluene, o-ethyltoluene, benzoate, ando-methylbenzoate in addition to o-xylene. Strain mXyS1 oxidized toluene, m-ethyltoluene,m-isoproyltoluene, benzoate, andm-methylbenzoate in addition to m-xylene. Strain oXyS1 did not utilize m-alkyltoluenes, whereas strain mXyS1 did not utilize o-alkyltoluenes. Like the enrichment culture, both isolates grew anaerobically on crude oil with concomitant reduction of sulfate to sulfide.


BIOLOVA ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 122-127
Author(s):  
Beny Saputra ◽  
Agus Sutanto ◽  
Mia Cholvistaria ◽  
Suprayitno Suprayitno ◽  
Nala Rahmawati

Abstrak: Bakteri pereduksi sulfat atau Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) adalah jenis bakteri obligat anaerob kemolitrotof memanfaatkan donor electron H2. Kemampuan SRB mereduksi sulfat menjadi sulfida mampu mengendapkan logam toksik meliputi Cd, Cu, dan Zn sebagai logam sulfida. SRB memerlukan substrat organik seperti asam piruvat yang dihasilkan oleh aktivitas anaerob lainnya. Mekanisme SRB dalam melakukan reduksi sulfat, sulfat digunakan sebagai sumber energi sebagai akseptor elektron dan menggunakan sumber karbon (C) sebagai donor elekton dalam metabolisme dan bahan penyusun sel. Pada kondisi anaerob bahan organik akan berperan sebagai donor elektron. Pembentukan senyawa sulfida melalui proses reduksi yang ditandai oleh penambahan elektron dari bahan organik yang menyebabkan turunnya konsentrasi sulfat dan naiknya pH lingkungan. SRB pada kawah air panas nirwana ini hidup secara anaerob pada suhu lingkungan 600C - 1000C dengan pH 7,4 tingkat kekeruhan air cukup keruh dan kandungan air yang mengandung blerang dengan indikator bau seperti telur busuk dan lingkungan sekitar terdiri dari sedimen batu kapur.   Abstract : Sulfate-reducing bacteria (BPS) is a type of chemolithotroph obligate anaerobic bacteria that utilize H2 electron donors. The ability of BPS to reduce sulfate to sulfide is able to precipitate toxic metals including Cd, Cu, and Zn as metal sulfides. BPS requires organic substrates such as pyruvic acid which is produced by other anaerobic activities. The BPS mechanism in reducing sulfate, sulfate is used as an energy source as an electron acceptor and uses a carbon source (C) as an electron donor in metabolism and cell building material. Under anaerobic conditions, organic matter will act as an electron donor. The formation of sulfide compounds through a reduction process is characterized by the addition of electrons from organic matter which causes a decrease in sulfate concentration and an increase in environmental pH. BPS in this nirvana hot spring crater lives anaerobically at an environmental temperature of 600C - 1000C with a pH of 7.4 the level of turbidity of the water is quite cloudy and the water content contains sulfur with an indicator of smell like rotten eggs and the surrounding environment consists of limestone sediments


2020 ◽  
Vol 82 (5) ◽  
pp. 11-20
Author(s):  
D.R. Abdulina ◽  
◽  
L.M. Purish ◽  
G.O. Iutynska ◽  
◽  
...  

The studies of the carbohydrate composition of the sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) biofilms formed on the steel surface, which are a factor of microbial corrosion, are significant. Since exopolymers synthesized by bacteria could activate corrosive processes. The aim of the study was to investigate the specificity of commercial lectins, labeled with colloidal gold to carbohydrates in the biofilm exopolymeric matrix produced by the corrosive-relevant SRB strains from man-caused ecotopes. Methods. Microbiological methods (obtaining of the SRB biofilms during cultivation in liquid Postgate B media under microaerophilic conditions), biochemical methods (lectin-binding analysis of 10 commercial lectins, labeled with colloidal gold), transmission electron microscopy using JEM-1400 JEOL. Results. It was shown using transmission electron microscopy that the binding of lectins with carbohydrates in the biofilm of the studied SRB strains occurred directly in the exopolymerіс matrix, as well as on the surfaces of bacterial cells, as seen by the presence of colloidal gold particles. For detection of the neutral carbohydrates (D-glucose and D-mannose) in the biofilm of almost all studied bacterial strains PSA lectin was the most specific. This lectin binding in biofilms of Desulfotomaculum sp. К1/3 and Desulfovibrio sp. 10 strains was higher in 90.8% and 94.4%, respectively, then for ConA lectin. The presence of fucose in the SRB biofilms was detected using LABA lectin, that showed specificity to the biofilm EPS of all the studied strains. LBA lectin was the most specific to N-аcetyl-D-galactosamine for determination of amino sugars in the biofilm. The amount of this lectin binding in D. vulgaris DSM644 biofilm was 30.3, 10.1 and 9.3 times higher than SBA, SNA and PNA lectins, respectively. STA, LVA and WGA lectins were used to detect the N-acetyl-Dglucosamine and sialic acid in the biofilm. WGA lectin showed specificity to N-acetyl-D-glucosamine in the biofilm of all the studied SRB; maximum number of bounded colloidal gold particles (175 particles/μm2) was found in the Desulfotomaculum sp. TC3 biofilm. STA lectin was interacted most actively with N-acetyl-D-glucosamine in Desulfotomaculum sp. TC3 and Desulfomicrobium sp. TC4 biofilms. The number of bounded colloidal gold particles was in 9.2 and 7.4 times higher, respectively, than using LVA lectin. The lowest binding of colloidal gold particles was observed for LVA lectin. Conclusions. It was identified the individual specificity of the 10 commercial lectins to the carbohydrates of biofilm matrix on the steel surface, produced by SRB. It was estimated that lectins with identical carbohydrates specificity had variation in binding to the biofilm carbohydrates of different SRB strains. Establishing of the lectin range selected for each culture lead to the reduction of the scope of studies and labor time in the researching of the peculiarities of exopolymeric matrix composition of biofilms formed by corrosiverelevant SRB.


2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 84-95
Author(s):  
O. M. Moroz ◽  
S. O. Hnatush ◽  
Ch. I. Bohoslavets ◽  
T. M. Hrytsun’ ◽  
B. M. Borsukevych

Sulfate reducing bacteria, capable to reductive transformation of different nature pollutants, used in biotechnologies of purification of sewage, contaminated by carbon, sulfur, nitrogen and metal compounds. H2S formed by them sediment metals to form of insoluble sulfides. Number of metals can be used by these microorganisms as electron acceptors during anaerobic respiration. Because under the influence of metal compounds observed slowing of bacteria metabolism, selection isolated from technologically modified ecotops resistant to pollutions strains is important task to create a new biotechnologies of purification. That’s why the purpose of this work was to study the influence of potassium dichromate, present in medium, on reduction of sulfate and nitrate ions by sulfate reducing bacteria Desulfovibrio desulfuricans IMV K-6, Desulfovibrio sp. Yav-6 and Desulfovibrio sp. Yav-8, isolated from Yavorivske Lake, to estimate the efficiency of possible usage of these bacteria in technologies of complex purification of environment from dangerous pollutants. Bacteria were cultivated in modified Kravtsov-Sorokin medium without SO42- and FeCl2×4H2O for 10 days. To study the influence of K2Cr2O7 on usage by bacteria SO42- or NO3- cells were seeded to media with Na2SO4×10H2O or NaNO3 and K2Cr2O7 at concentrations of 1.74 mM for total content of electron acceptors in medium 3.47 mM (concentration of SO42- in medium of standard composition). Cells were also seeded to media with 3.47 mM Na2SO4×10H2O, NaNO3 or K2Cr2O7 to investigate their growth in media with SO42-, NO3- or Cr2O72- as sole electron acceptor (control). Biomass was determined by turbidymetric method, content of sulfate, nitrate, dichromate, chromium (III) ions, hydrogen sulfide or ammonia ions in cultural liquid – by spectrophotometric method. It was found that K2Cr2O7 inhibits growth (2.2 and 1.3 times) and level of reduction by bacteria sulfate or nitrate ions (4.2 and 3.0 times, respectively) at simultaneous addition into cultivation medium of 1.74 mM SO42- or NO3- and 1.74 mM Cr2O72-, compared with growth and level of reduction of sulfate or nitrate ions in medium only with SO42- or NO3- as sole electron acceptor. Revealed that during cultivation of bacteria in presence of equimolar amount of SO42- or NO3- and Cr2O72-, last used by bacteria faster, content of Cr3+ during whole period of bacteria cultivation exceeded content H2S or NH4+. K2Cr2O7 in medium has most negative influence on dissimilatory reduction by bacteria SO42- than NO3-, since level of nitrate ions reduction by cells in medium with NO3- and Cr2O72- was a half times higher than level of sulfate ions reduction by it in medium with SO42- and Cr2O72-. The ability of bacteria Desulfovibrio sp. to priority reduction of Cr2O72- and after their exhaustion − NO3- and SO42- in the processes of anaerobic respiration can be used in technologies of complex purification of environment from toxic compounds.


2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 557-561
Author(s):  
Nguyễn Thị Yên ◽  
Kiều Thị Quỳnh Hoa

Lead contaminated wastewater negatively impacts to living organisms as well as humans. In recent years, a highly promising biological process using the anaerobic production of sulfide ions by sulfate-reducing bacteria has presented itself as an alternative option for the removal of lead. This process is based on microbial utilization of electron donors, such as organic compounds (carbon sources), and sulfate as the terminal electron acceptor for sulfide production. The biogenic hydrogen sulfide reacts with dissolved heavy metals to form insoluble metal sulfide precipitates Removal of lead by an enriched consortium of sulfate-reducing bacteria (DM10) was evaluated sulfate reduction, sulfide production and lead precipitation. Four parallel anaerobic continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR, V = 2L) (referred as R1 - R4) were fed with synthetic wastewater containing Pb2+ in the concentrations of 0, 100, 150 and 200 mg L-1 of lead and operated with a hydraulic retention time of 5 days for 40 days. The loading rates of each metal in R1- R4 were 0, 20, 30 and 40 mg L-1 d-1, respectively. The results showed that there was no inhibition of SRB growth and that lead removal efficiencies of 99-100% for Pb2+ were achieved in R2 (100 mg L-1) and R3 (150 mg L-1) throughout the experiment. For the highest lead concentration of  200 mg L-1, a decrease in efficiency of removal (from 100 to 96%) was observed at the end of the experiment. The obtained result of this study might help for a better control operation and performance improvements of reactors.


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