This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Coates, J. D.
Right arrow Articles by Achenbach, L. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Coates, J. D.
Right arrow Articles by Achenbach, L. A.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Coates, J. D.
Right arrow Articles by Achenbach, L. A.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, December 1999, p. 5234-5241, Vol. 65, No. 12
0099-2240/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Ubiquity and Diversity of Dissimilatory (Per)chlorate-Reducing Bacteria

John D. Coates,* Urania Michaelidou, Royce A. Bruce, Susan M. O'Connor, Jill N. Crespi, and Laurie A. Achenbach

Department of Microbiology and Center for Systematic Biology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901

Received 25 June 1999/Accepted 8 September 1999

Environmental contamination with compounds containing oxyanions of chlorine, such as perchlorate or chlorate [(per)chlorate] or chlorine dioxide, has been a constantly growing problem over the last 100 years. Although the fact that microbes reduce these compounds has been recognized for more than 50 years, only six organisms which can obtain energy for growth by this metabolic process have been described. As part of a study to investigate the diversity and ubiquity of microorganisms involved in the microbial reduction of (per)chlorate, we enumerated the (per)chlorate-reducing bacteria (ClRB) in very diverse environments, including pristine and hydrocarbon-contaminated soils, aquatic sediments, paper mill waste sludges, and farm animal waste lagoons. In all of the environments tested, the acetate-oxidizing ClRB represented a significant population, whose size ranged from 2.31 × 103 to 2.4 × 106 cells per g of sample. In addition, we isolated 13 ClRB from these environments. All of these organisms could grow anaerobically by coupling complete oxidation of acetate to reduction of (per)chlorate. Chloride was the sole end product of this reductive metabolism. All of the isolates could also use oxygen as a sole electron acceptor, and most, but not all, could use nitrate. The alternative electron donors included simple volatile fatty acids, such as propionate, butyrate, or valerate, as well as simple organic acids, such as lactate or pyruvate. Oxidized-minus-reduced difference spectra of washed whole-cell suspensions of the isolates had absorbance maxima close to 425, 525, and 550 nm, which are characteristic of type c cytochromes. In addition, washed cell suspensions of all of the ClRB isolates could dismutate chlorite, an intermediate in the reductive metabolism of (per)chlorate, into chloride and molecular oxygen. Chlorite dismutation was a result of the activity of a single enzyme which in pure form had a specific activity of approximately 1,928 µmol of chlorite per mg of protein per min. Analyses of the 16S ribosomal DNA sequences of the organisms indicated that they all belonged to the alpha, beta, or gamma subclass of the Proteobacteria. Several were closely related to members of previously described genera that are not recognized for the ability to reduce (per)chlorate, such as the genera Pseudomonas and Azospirllum. However, many were not closely related to any previously described organism and represented new genera within the Proteobacteria. The results of this study significantly increase the limited number of microbial isolates that are known to be capable of dissimilatory (per)chlorate reduction and demonstrate the hitherto unrecognized phylogenetic diversity and ubiquity of the microorganisms that exhibit this type of metabolism.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Microbiology and Center for Systematic Biology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901. Phone: (618) 453-6132. Fax: (618) 453-8036. E-mail: jcoates{at}micro.siu.edu.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, December 1999, p. 5234-5241, Vol. 65, No. 12
0099-2240/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Nozawa-Inoue, M., Jien, M., Hamilton, N. S., Stewart, V., Scow, K. M., Hristova, K. R. (2008). Quantitative Detection of Perchlorate-Reducing Bacteria by Real-Time PCR Targeting the Perchlorate Reductase Gene. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74: 1941-1944 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Balk, M., van Gelder, T., Weelink, S. A., Stams, A. J. M. (2008). (Per)chlorate Reduction by the Thermophilic Bacterium Moorella perchloratireducens sp. nov., Isolated from Underground Gas Storage. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74: 403-409 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Oliver, C. E., Bauer, M. L., Caton, J. S., Anderson, R. C., Smith, D. J. (2007). The in vitro reduction of sodium [36Cl]chlorate in bovine ruminal fluid. J ANIM SCI 85: 2059-2068 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Narasingarao, P., Haggblom, M. M. (2007). Identification of Anaerobic Selenate-Respiring Bacteria from Aquatic Sediments. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 3519-3527 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ahn, J., Schroeder, S., Beer, M., McIlroy, S., Bayly, R. C., May, J. W., Vasiliadis, G., Seviour, R. J. (2007). Ecology of the Microbial Community Removing Phosphate from Wastewater under Continuously Aerobic Conditions in a Sequencing Batch Reactor. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 2257-2270 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kalyuzhnaya, M. G., De Marco, P., Bowerman, S., Pacheco, C. C., Lara, J. C., Lidstrom, M. E., Chistoserdova, L. (2006). Methyloversatilis universalis gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel taxon within the Betaproteobacteria represented by three methylotrophic isolates.. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 56: 2517-2522 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Peng, G., Wang, H., Zhang, G., Hou, W., Liu, Y., Wang, E. T., Tan, Z. (2006). Azospirillum melinis sp. nov., a group of diazotrophs isolated from tropical molasses grass. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 56: 1263-1271 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Weber, K. A., Pollock, J., Cole, K. A., O'Connor, S. M., Achenbach, L. A., Coates, J. D. (2006). Anaerobic Nitrate-Dependent Iron(II) Bio-Oxidation by a Novel Lithoautotrophic Betaproteobacterium, Strain 2002. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 686-694 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Chakraborty, R., O'Connor, S. M., Chan, E., Coates, J. D. (2005). Anaerobic Degradation of Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylene Compounds by Dechloromonas Strain RCB. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 8649-8655 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ginige, M. P., Keller, J., Blackall, L. L. (2005). Investigation of an Acetate-Fed Denitrifying Microbial Community by Stable Isotope Probing, Full-Cycle rRNA Analysis, and Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization-Microautoradiography. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 8683-8691 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Capuco, A. V., Rice, C. P., Baldwin, R. L. VI, Bannerman, D. D., Paape, M. J., Hare, W. R., Kauf, A. C. W., McCarty, G. W., Hapeman, C. J., Sadeghi, A. M., Starr, J. L., McConnell, L. L., Van Tassell, C. P. (2005). Fate of dietary perchlorate in lactating dairy cows: Relevance to animal health and levels in the milk supply. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102: 16152-16157 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Chakraborty, R., Coates, J. D. (2005). Hydroxylation and Carboxylation--Two Crucial Steps of Anaerobic Benzene Degradation by Dechloromonas Strain RCB. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 5427-5432 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Wolterink, A., Kim, S., Muusse, M., Kim, I. S., Roholl, P. J. M., van Ginkel, C. G., Stams, A. J. M., Kengen, S. W. M. (2005). Dechloromonas hortensis sp. nov. and strain ASK-1, two novel (per)chlorate-reducing bacteria, and taxonomic description of strain GR-1. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 55: 2063-2068 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Coates, J. D., Cole, K. A., Michaelidou, U., Patrick, J., McInerney, M. J., Achenbach, L. A. (2005). Biological Control of Hog Waste Odor through Stimulated Microbial Fe(III) Reduction. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 4728-4735 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bender, K. S., Shang, C., Chakraborty, R., Belchik, S. M., Coates, J. D., Achenbach, L. A. (2005). Identification, Characterization, and Classification of Genes Encoding Perchlorate Reductase. J. Bacteriol. 187: 5090-5096 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Nozawa-Inoue, M., Scow, K. M., Rolston, D. E. (2005). Reduction of Perchlorate and Nitrate by Microbial Communities in Vadose Soil. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 3928-3934 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Nealson, K. H., Popa, R. (2005). Introduction and overview: What do we know for sure?. ajs 305: 449-466 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Horn, M. A., Ihssen, J., Matthies, C., Schramm, A., Acker, G., Drake, H. L. (2005). Dechloromonas denitrificans sp. nov., Flavobacterium denitrificans sp. nov., Paenibacillus anaericanus sp. nov. and Paenibacillus terrae strain MH72, N2O-producing bacteria isolated from the gut of the earthworm Aporrectodea caliginosa. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 55: 1255-1265 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Loy, A., Schulz, C., Lucker, S., Schopfer-Wendels, A., Stoecker, K., Baranyi, C., Lehner, A., Wagner, M. (2005). 16S rRNA Gene-Based Oligonucleotide Microarray for Environmental Monitoring of the Betaproteobacterial Order "Rhodocyclales". Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 1373-1386 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kroon, A. G. M., van Ginkel, C. G. (2004). Biological Reduction of Chlorate in a Gas-Lift Reactor Using Hydrogen as an Energy Source. J. Environ. Qual. 33: 2026-2029 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bender, K. S., Rice, M. R., Fugate, W. H., Coates, J. D., Achenbach, L. A. (2004). Metabolic Primers for Detection of (Per)chlorate-Reducing Bacteria in the Environment and Phylogenetic Analysis of cld Gene Sequences. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 5651-5658 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Wackett, L. P., Dodge, A. G., Ellis, L. B. M. (2004). Microbial Genomics and the Periodic Table. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 647-655 [Full Text]  
  • Schubbe, S., Kube, M., Scheffel, A., Wawer, C., Heyen, U., Meyerdierks, A., Madkour, M. H., Mayer, F., Reinhardt, R., Schuler, D. (2003). Characterization of a Spontaneous Nonmagnetic Mutant of Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense Reveals a Large Deletion Comprising a Putative Magnetosome Island. J. Bacteriol. 185: 5779-5790 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Thorell, H. D., Stenklo, K., Karlsson, J., Nilsson, T. (2003). A Gene Cluster for Chlorate Metabolism in Ideonella dechloratans. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 5585-5592 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Coleman, M. L., Ader, M., Chaudhuri, S., Coates, J. D. (2003). Microbial Isotopic Fractionation of Perchlorate Chlorine. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 4997-5000 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Tan, Z., Reinhold-Hurek, B. (2003). Dechlorosoma suillum Achenbach et al. 2001 is a later subjective synonym of Azospira oryzae Reinhold-Hurek and Hurek 2000. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 53: 1139-1142 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Tipton, D. K., Rolston, D. E., Scow, K. M. (2003). Transport and Biodegradation of Perchlorate in Soils. J. Environ. Qual. 32: 40-46 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Morris, C. E., Bardin, M., Berge, O., Frey-Klett, P., Fromin, N., Girardin, H., Guinebretiere, M.-H., Lebaron, P., Thiery, J. M., Troussellier, M. (2002). Microbial Biodiversity: Approaches to Experimental Design and Hypothesis Testing in Primary Scientific Literature from 1975 to 1999. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 66: 592-616 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bender, K. S., O'Connor, S. M., Chakraborty, R., Coates, J. D., Achenbach, L. A. (2002). Sequencing and Transcriptional Analysis of the Chlorite Dismutase Gene of Dechloromonas agitata and Its Use as a Metabolic Probe. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68: 4820-4826 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Chaudhuri, S. K., O'Connor, S. M., Gustavson, R. L., Achenbach, L. A., Coates, J. D. (2002). Environmental Factors That Control Microbial Perchlorate Reduction. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68: 4425-4430 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Lack, J. G., Chaudhuri, S. K., Kelly, S. D., Kemner, K. M., O'Connor, S. M., Coates, J. D. (2002). Immobilization of Radionuclides and Heavy Metals through Anaerobic Bio-Oxidation of Fe(II). Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68: 2704-2710 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • O'Connor, S. M., Coates, J. D. (2002). Universal Immunoprobe for (Per)Chlorate-Reducing Bacteria. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68: 3108-3113 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Coates, J. D., Cole, K. A., Chakraborty, R., O'Connor, S. M., Achenbach, L. A. (2002). Diversity and Ubiquity of Bacteria Capable of Utilizing Humic Substances as Electron Donors for Anaerobic Respiration. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68: 2445-2452 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Logan, B. E., Zhang, H., Mulvaney, P., Milner, M. G., Head, I. M., Unz, R. F. (2001). Kinetics of Perchlorate- and Chlorate-Respiring Bacteria. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67: 2499-2506 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Chaudhuri, S. K., Lack, J. G., Coates, J. D. (2001). Biogenic Magnetite Formation through Anaerobic Biooxidation of Fe(II). Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67: 2844-2848 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sobolev, D., Roden, E. E. (2001). Suboxic Deposition of Ferric Iron by Bacteria in Opposing Gradients of Fe(II) and Oxygen at Circumneutral pH. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67: 1328-1334 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»