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Differential gene expression in Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans LR planktonic and attached cells in the presence of chalcopyrite
Author(s) -
Ossa Henao Diana Marcela,
Vicentini Renato,
Rodrigues Viviane Drumond,
Bevilaqua Denise,
Ottoboni Laura Maria Mariscal
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of basic microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.58
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1521-4028
pISSN - 0233-111X
DOI - 10.1002/jobm.201300871
Subject(s) - pilus , bioleaching , gene , operon , chalcopyrite , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , fimbria , biofilm , chemistry , biology , biochemistry , escherichia coli , copper , genetics , organic chemistry
Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is commonly used in bioleaching operations to recover copper from sulfide ores. It is commonly accepted that A. ferrooxidans attaches to mineral surfaces by means of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), however the role of type IV pili and tight adherence genes in this process is poorly understood. Genes related to the formation of type IV pili and tight adherence were identified in the genome of the bacterium, and in this work, we show that A. ferrooxidans actively expresses these genes, as demonstrated by quantitative real‐time PCR analysis using cells incubated with chalcopyrite for 2 h. Significant differences in gene expression were observed between planktonic and adhered cells, with the level of expression being much greater in planktonic cells. These results might indicate that planktonic cells can actively adhere to the substrate. A bioinformatics analysis of interaction networks of the tight adherence and type IV pilus assembly genes revealed a strong relationship between conjugation systems ( tra operon) and regulatory systems (PilR, PilS).