TY - JOUR
T1 - Bioenergetics of the metal/sulfur-oxidizing extreme thermoacidophile, Metallosphaera sedula
AU - Peeples, T. L.
AU - Kelly, R. M.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors acknowledge the support of the National Science Foundation (BCS-9011583) the Office of Naval Research (N00014-89-J-1591) and the Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship Program.
PY - 1993/12
Y1 - 1993/12
N2 - Identification of more effective biocatalysts than Thiobacillus ferrooxidans has been of interest for the optimization of biological removal of inorganic sulfur from coal. The recently isolated thermoacidophile, Metallosphaera sedula, leaches metal sulfides at rapid rates and could be a feasible biocatalytic alternative for such use. The bioenergetic and biocatalytic features of M. sedula as they apply to metal leaching, with particular attention to coal pyrite oxidation, are currently being evaluated. The questions examined include 1. (1) how does M. sedula compare with other microorganisms with similar bioleaching capabilities, 2. (2) how do inorganic energy substrates factor into M. sedula's metabolic scheme, and 3. (3) how can higher metal leaching rates be achieved with M. sedula? To answer these questions, the relation between the organism's metabolic energy sources (sulfur, iron pyrite, organic compounds) and intracellular energy-requiring reactions is being studied. It is hoped that this framework can be used to evaluate and improve the various microbial options for inorganic sulfur removal from coal.
AB - Identification of more effective biocatalysts than Thiobacillus ferrooxidans has been of interest for the optimization of biological removal of inorganic sulfur from coal. The recently isolated thermoacidophile, Metallosphaera sedula, leaches metal sulfides at rapid rates and could be a feasible biocatalytic alternative for such use. The bioenergetic and biocatalytic features of M. sedula as they apply to metal leaching, with particular attention to coal pyrite oxidation, are currently being evaluated. The questions examined include 1. (1) how does M. sedula compare with other microorganisms with similar bioleaching capabilities, 2. (2) how do inorganic energy substrates factor into M. sedula's metabolic scheme, and 3. (3) how can higher metal leaching rates be achieved with M. sedula? To answer these questions, the relation between the organism's metabolic energy sources (sulfur, iron pyrite, organic compounds) and intracellular energy-requiring reactions is being studied. It is hoped that this framework can be used to evaluate and improve the various microbial options for inorganic sulfur removal from coal.
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U2 - 10.1016/0016-2361(93)90345-3
DO - 10.1016/0016-2361(93)90345-3
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0027839311
SN - 0016-2361
VL - 72
SP - 1619
EP - 1624
JO - Fuel
JF - Fuel
IS - 12
ER -