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3 Publications visible to you, out of a total of 3

Abstract (Expand)

Bacteria often release diverse iron-chelating compounds called siderophores to scavenge iron from the environment for many essential biological processes. In peatlands, where the biogeochemical cycle of iron and dissolved organic matter (DOM) are coupled, bacterial iron acquisition can be challenging even at high total iron concentrations. We found that the bacterium Pseudomonas sp. FEN, isolated from an Fe-rich peatland in the Northern Bavarian Fichtelgebirge (Germany), released an unprecedented siderophore for its genus. High-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS) using metal isotope-coded profiling (MICP), MS/MS experiments, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) identified the amino polycarboxylic acid rhizobactin and a novel derivative at even higher amounts, which was named rhizobactin B. Interestingly, pyoverdine-like siderophores, typical for this genus, were not detected. With peat water extract (PWE), studies revealed that rhizobactin B could acquire Fe complexed by DOM, potentially through a TonB-dependent transporter, implying a higher Fe binding constant of rhizobactin B than DOM. The further uptake of Fe-rhizobactin B by Pseudomonas sp. FEN suggested its role as a siderophore. Rhizobactin B can complex several other metals, including Al, Cu, Mo, and Zn. The study demonstrates that the utilization of rhizobactin B can increase the Fe availability for Pseudomonas sp. FEN through ligand exchange with Fe-DOM, which has implications for the biogeochemical cycling of Fe in this peatland.

Authors: S. Kugler, R. E. Cooper, J. Boessneck, K. Kusel, T. Wichard

Date Published: 7th Oct 2020

Publication Type: Journal

Abstract (Expand)

The formation of Fe(III) oxides in natural environments occurs in the presence of natural organic matter (OM), resulting in the formation of OM-mineral complexes that form through adsorption or coprecipitation processes. Thus, microbial Fe(III) reduction in natural environments most often occurs in the presence of OM-mineral complexes rather than pure Fe(III) minerals. In this study we investigated to which extent the content of adsorbed or coprecipitated OM on ferrihydrite influences the rate of Fe(III) reduction by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, a model Fe(III)-reducing microorganism, in comparison to a microbial consortium extracted from the acidic, Fe-rich Schlöppnerbrunnen fen. We found that increased OM contents led to increased rates of microbial Fe(III) reduction by S. oneidensis MR-1 in contrast to earlier findings with the model organism Geobacter bremensis. Ferrihydrite-OM coprecipitates were reduced slightly faster than ferrihydrites with adsorbed OM. Surprisingly, the complex microbial consortia stimulated by a mixture of electrons donors (lactate, acetate, and glucose) mimics S. oneidensis under the same experimental Fe(III)-reducing conditions suggesting similar mechanisms of electron transfer whether or not the OM is adsorbed or coprecipitated to the mineral surfaces. We also followed potential shifts of the microbial community during the incubation via 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses to determine variations due to the presence of adsorbed or coprecipitated OM-ferrihydrite complexes in contrast to pure ferrihydrite. Community profile analyses showed no enrichment of typical model Fe(III)-reducing bacteria, such as Shewanella sp. or Geobacter sp., but an enrichment of fermenters (i.e. Enterobacteria) during pure ferrihydrite incubations which are known to use Fe(III) as an electron sink. Instead, OM-mineral complexes favored the enrichment of microbes including Desulfobacteria and Pelosinus sp., both of which can utilize lactate and acetate as an electron donor under Fe(III) reducing conditions. In summary, this study shows that increasing concentrations of OM in OM-mineral complexes determines microbial Fe(III) reduction rates and shapes the microbial community structure involved in the reductive dissolution of ferrihydrite. Similarities observed between the complex Fe(III)-reducing microbial consortia and the model Fe(III)-reducer S. oneidensis MR-1 suggest electron shuttling mechanisms dominate in OM-rich environments, including soils, sediments, and fens, where natural OM interacts with Fe(III) oxides during mineral formation.

Authors: Rebecca E. Cooper, Karin Eusterhues, Carl-Eric Wegner, Kai Uwe Totsche, Kirsten Küsel

Date Published: 6th Jul 2017

Publication Type: Not specified

Abstract (Expand)

Marine and lake snow is a continuous shower of mixed organic and inorganic aggregates falling from the upper water where primary production is substantial. These pelagic aggregates provide a niche for microbes that can exploit these physical structures and resources for growth, thus are local hot spots for microbial activity. However, processes underlying their formation remain unknown. Here, we investigated the role of chemical signaling between two co-occurring bacteria that each make up more than 10% of the community in iron-rich lakes aggregates (iron snow). The filamentous iron-oxidizing Acidithrix strain showed increased rates of Fe(II) oxidation when incubated with cell-free supernatant of the heterotrophic iron-reducing Acidiphilium strain. Amendment of Acidithrix supernatant to motile cells of Acidiphilium triggered formation of cell aggregates displaying similar morphology to those of iron snow. Comparative metabolomics enabled the identification of the aggregation-inducing signal, 2-phenethylamine, which also induced faster growth of Acidiphilium. We propose a model that shows rapid iron snow formation, and ultimately energy transfer from the photic zone to deeper water layers, is controlled via a chemically mediated interplay.

Authors: J. F. Mori, N. Ueberschaar, S. Lu, R. E. Cooper, G. Pohnert, K. Kusel

Date Published: 1st Feb 2017

Publication Type: Not specified

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