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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, September 2003, p. 5722-5725, Vol. 69, No. 9
0099-2240/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.69.9.5722-5725.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Precipitation of Barite by Myxococcus xanthus: Possible Implications for the Biogeochemical Cycle of Barium

Maria Teresa González-Muñoz,1 Belén Fernández-Luque,1 Francisca Martínez-Ruiz,2 Kaoutar Ben Chekroun,1 José María Arias,1* Manuel Rodríguez-Gallego,3 Magdalena Martínez-Cañamero,4 Concepción de Linares,1 and Adina Paytan5

Departamento de Microbiología,1 Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra,2 Departamento de Mineralogía y Petrología, Facultad de Ciencias, Campus Fuentenueva, Universidad de Granada, 18002 Granada,3 Unidad de Microbiología, Universidad de Jaén, 23071 Jaén, Spain,4 Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-21155

Received 6 November 2002/ Accepted 16 June 2003

Bacterial precipitation of barite (BaSO4) under laboratory conditions is reported for the first time. The bacterium Myxococcus xanthus was cultivated in a solid medium with a diluted solution of barium chloride. Crystallization occurred as a result of the presence of live bacteria and the bacterial metabolic activity. A phosphorous-rich amorphous phase preceded the more crystalline barite formation. These experiments may indicate the involvement of bacteria in the barium biogeochemical cycle, which is closely related to the carbon cycle.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Avda. Fuentenueva, s.n., 18002 Granada, Spain. Phone and fax: 34 958 243397. E-mail: jmarias{at}ugr.es.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, September 2003, p. 5722-5725, Vol. 69, No. 9
0099-2240/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.69.9.5722-5725.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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