Patterns of sheath elongation, cell proliferation, and manganese(II) oxidation in Leptothrix cholodnii.

Leptothrix cholodnii is a Mn(II)-oxidizing and sheath-forming member of the class ß-Proteobacteria. Its sheath is a microtube-like filament that contains a chain of cells. From a chemical perspective, the sheath can be described as a supermolecule composed of a cysteine-rich polymeric glycoconjugate, called thiopeptidoglycan. However, the mechanism that controls the increase in sheath length is unknown. In this study, we attempted to detect sheath elongation through microscopic examination by using conventional reagents. Selective fluorescent labeling of preexisting or newly formed regions of the sheath was accomplished using combinations of biotin-conjugated maleimide, propionate-conjugated maleimide, and a fluorescent antibiotin antibody. Epifluorescence microscopy indicated that the sheath elongates at the terminal regions. On the bases of this observation, we assumed that the newly secreted thiopeptidoglycan molecules are integrated into the preexisting sheath at its terminal ends. Successive phase-contrast microscopy revealed that all cells proliferate at nearly the same rate regardless of their positions within the sheath. Mn(II) oxidation in microcultures was also examined with respect to cultivation time. Results suggested that the deposition of Mn oxides is notable in the aged regions. The combined data reveal the spatiotemporal relationships among sheath elongation, cell proliferation, and Mn oxide deposition in L. cholodnii.

Structural and spatial associations between Fe, O, and C in the network structure of the Leptothrix ochracea sheath surface.

The structural and spatial associations of Fe with O and C in the outer coat fibers of the Leptothrix ochracea sheath were shown to be substantially similar to the stalk fibers of Gallionella ferruginea, i.e., a central C core, probably of bacterial origin, and aquatic Fe interacting with O at the surface of the core.

Inhella inkyongensis gen. nov., sp. nov., a new freshwater bacterium in the order Burkholderiales.

A freshwater bacterium, designated IMCC1713(T), was isolated from a highly eutrophic artificial pond. Cells of the strain were Gram-negative, chemoheterotrophic, polybeat and obligately aerobic short rods that were motile with a single polar flagellum. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity analysis showed that the novel strain was most closely related to the species Roseateles depolymerans (96.3%), Mitsuaria chitosanitabida (96.2%), Ideonella dechloratans (96.2%), and Pelomonas saccharophila (96.1%) in the Sphaerotilus-Leptothrix group within the order Burkholderiales. Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the isolate formed an independent monophyletic clade within the order Burkholderiales. The relatively low DNA G+C content (57.4 mol%), together with several phenotypic characteristics, differentiated the novel strain from other members of the Sphaerotilus-Leptothrix group. From the taxonomic data, therefore, the strain should be classified as a novel genus and species, for which the name Inhella inkyongensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the proposed species is strain IMCC1713(T) (=KCTC 12791(T)=NBRC 103252(T)=CCUG 54308(T)).

Microbial polysaccharides template assembly of nanocrystal fibers.

Biological systems can produce extraordinary inorganic structures and morphologies. The mechanisms of synthesis are poorly understood but are of great interest for engineering novel materials. We use spectromicroscopy to show that microbially generated submicrometer-diameter iron oxyhydroxide (FeOOH) filaments contain polysaccharides, providing an explanation for the formation of akaganeite pseudo-single crystals with aspect ratios of approximately 1000:1. We infer that the cells extrude the polysaccharide strands to localize FeOOH precipitation in proximity to the cell membrane to harness the proton gradient for energy generation. Characterization of organic compounds with high spatial resolution, correlated with mineralogical information, should improve our understanding of biomineralization mechanisms.