Enzymatic reduction of chromate: comparative studies using sulfate-reducing bacteria (original) (raw)

Abstract

Various sulfate-reducing bacteria of the genera Desulfovibrio and Desulfomicrobium were tested and compared for enzymatic reduction of chromate. Our study demonstrated that the ability to reduce chromate is widespread among sulfate-reducing bacteria. Among them, Desulfomicrobium norvegicum reduced Cr(VI) with the highest reaction rate. This strain grew in the presence of up to 500 μM chromate, but Cr(VI) reduction in the absence of sulfate was not associated with growth. The presence of chromate induced morphological changes and leakage of periplasmic proteins into the medium. The ability of isolated polyheme cytochromes c from sulfate- and sulfur-reducing bacteria to reduce chromate was also analyzed. Tetraheme cytochrome c 3(M r. 13,000) from Desulfomicrobium norvegicum showed twice as much activity as either tetraheme cytochrome c 3 from Desulfovibrio vulgaris strain Hildenborough or triheme cytochrome c 7 from Desulfuromonas acetoxidans. Results with cytochromes c 3 and other _c_-type cytochromes altered by site-directed mutagenesis indicated that negative redox potential hemes are crucial for metal reductase activity. The present study also demonstrated that the (Fe) hydrogenase from sulfate-reducing bacteria could reduce chromate.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unité de Bioénergétique et Ingénierie des Protéines, UPR 9036, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Structurale et Microbiologie, 31 chemin Joseph Aiguier, 13402 Marseille Cedex 20, France e-mail: bruschi@ibsm.cnrs-mrs.fr Tel.: +1-33-491164144 Fax: +1-33-491779517, , , , , , FR
    C. Michel, M. Brugna, C. Aubert, A. Bernadac & M. Bruschi

Authors

  1. C. Michel
  2. M. Brugna
  3. C. Aubert
  4. A. Bernadac
  5. M. Bruschi

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Received: 14 April 2000 / Received revision: 6 July 2000 / Accepted: 9 July 2000

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Michel, C., Brugna, M., Aubert, C. et al. Enzymatic reduction of chromate: comparative studies using sulfate-reducing bacteria .Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 55, 95–100 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002530000467

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