Open AccessChemotaxis of chemolithotrophic Thiobacillus ferrooxidans toward thiosulfate
Author(s) -
Chakraborty Ranadhir,
Roy Pradosh
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1992.tb05482.x
Subject(s) - thiosulfate , thiobacillus ferrooxidans , sulfur , tetrathionate , thiobacillus , oxidizing agent , chemotaxis , chemistry , bacteria , biochemistry , nuclear chemistry , biology , organic chemistry , receptor , genetics
The chemotactic response of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans toward thiosulfate was observed. The traditional assay technique was modified by direct microscopic enumeration of cells which moved into the attractant solution. The optimum concentration shown by thiosulfate‐grown cells, tetrathionate‐grown cells as well as iron‐grown cells was 10 3 times the optimum concentration shown by cells grown on elemental sulfur. Iron‐grown cells which lack thiosulfate‐oxidizing activity showed increased accumulation at optimum concentration as compared to cells grown on elemental sulfur and other reduced sulfur compounds. This indicated the constitutive nature of chemotaxis by T. ferrooxidans toward thiosulfate.