Characterization of the Quorum Sensing Regulon in Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

Abstract:

Bioleaching is the solubilization of metals from ores by microorganisms. This process is more efficient than conventional methods in the metal recovery from low grade ores while decreasing the operating cost and the environmental impact. Among the bioleaching bacteria, the Gram-negative chemolithoautotrophic acidophilic Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans has the ability to adhere to mineral surface and to form biofilm. The genes involved in the production of this biofilm are controlled by a cellular communication system called Quorum Sensing (QS). The QS occurs mainly through the production of acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs). A functional QS system has been identified in At. ferrooxidans with an acyl synthase (AfeI) and a transcriptional regulator (AfeR). Here, our purpose is to characterize the quorum sensing regulon and particularly the genes involved in biofilm formation in At. ferrooxidans. This has been done by cell adhesion experiments comparing At. ferrooxidans grown with or without Tetrazol, an AHL analogue that activates the cell adhesion to mineral surface. The second step has been to compare the expression of some genes predicted to be involved in the QS regulon in At. ferrooxidans grown in the presence/absence of Tetrazol using real-time PCR. These two different strategies are expected to give insight on the moment at which the At. ferrooxidans QS regulon is switched on. The formation of biofilm could improve the bioleaching operation and therefore the understanding of the QS regulon is of primordial importance.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volume 825)
• Pages: 129-132
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.825.129
• Online since: October 2013
• Authors: Sigde Mamani, Yan Denis, Danielle Moinier, Mohamad Sabbah, Laurent Soulère, Yves Queneau, Violaine Bonnefoy, Nicolas Guiliani
• Keywords: Acyl Homoserine Lactone, Biofilm, Electronic Microscopy, Fluorescence Microscopy, Quorum Sensing, Real-Time PCR, Tetrazol

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