Trace metal interaction with thermophilic phototrophic anaerobic bacterium Chloroflexus aurantiacus

Abstract

Towards improving the knowledge of possible paleo-microorganisms interaction with trace metals (micro-nutrients and toxicants), we studied adsorption of Mn, Zn, Sr, Cd, and Pb onto modern Chloroflexus aurantiacus, thermophilic anoxygenic phototrophic bacterium which could be highly abundant in the Precambiran aquatic environments. Acid-base surface titrations allowed quantifying the number of proton-active surface groups, whereas non-electrostatic linear programming method (LPM) was used to assess the surface site concentrations and adsorption reaction constants between divalent cations (Zn, Mb, Sr, Cd, Pb) and bacterial surface, based on results of pH-dependent adsorption edge and constant-pH ‘langmuirian’ adsorption experiments. The total proton/hydroxyl binding site number of Chl. aurantiacus surfaces was sizably lower than that of other phototrophic anaerobic bacteria studied previously using similar experimental and modeling approach. Divalent metals exhibited a decreasing order of adsorption affinity (Pb > Cd ≥ Zn ≥ Mn > Sr), which reflected the order of cation hydrolysis and was similar to adsorption order on other phototrophic bacteria. At the same time, adsorption of Zn increased with increasing of temperature, from 4 °C to 60 °C and was stronger under light compared to the darkness. This suggested some active metabolic control involved in this metal interaction with bacterial surfaces. Overall, Chl. aurantiacus exhibited trace metal adsorption parameters (site number and binding constants) which were lower compared to other anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria (Rhodopseudomonas palustris; Rhodobacter blasticus) and cyanobacteria. This may reflect different bioavailability of trace metals in the paleo-ocean, given that thermophilic Chl. aurantiacus are among the oldest phototrophs on the planet.