Iron-eating bacteria show hidden diversity for mine pollution cleanup
Grettenberger CL, Macalady JL, Hamilton TL
Phytoremediation
The rusty orange streams below old mine sites choke out native plants and fish, and these bacteria are nature's own filtration system for turning that toxic water clean again.
When mines dig into rock, they expose minerals that turn nearby streams acidic and rusty orange, a mess called acid mine drainage that kills off plants and wildlife downstream. Researchers found that a group of bacteria called Ferrovaceae, which feed on dissolved iron in these polluted streams, are far more varied than scientists realized, with different members using different chemical strategies to pull iron out of the water. Having a mix of these bacterial specialists working together could make natural cleanup of contaminated waterways faster and more reliable.
Key Findings
Analysis of 240 genomes revealed greater phylogenetic and physiological diversity within Ferrovaceae than previously known
All studied taxa likely use a cyc-2 like protein for iron oxidation, while some also carry an Mto-like protein pathway
Some Ferrovaceae populations appear capable of anoxygenic phototrophy, and multiple physiologically distinct populations co-occur at the same sites
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists studied a family of iron-eating bacteria found in acid mine drainage and discovered they're more diverse than thought, using different chemical tricks to pull iron out of polluted water, which could lead to better cleanup strategies for mining-damaged waterways.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Metabolic diversity of Ferrovaceae and potential contributions to iron oxidation.
Active and abandoned metal and coal mines generate acidic, metal-laden water that pollutes downstream areas, commonly referred to as acid mine drainage (AMD). AMD is host to microbial communities, ...
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