Phylogenetic and physiological diversity of dissimilatory ferric iron reducers in sediments of the polluted Scheldt estuary, Northwest Europe.

B. Lin, C. Hyacinthe, S. Bonneville, M. Braster, P. van Cappellen, W.F.M. Roling

    Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

    Abstract

    The potential for dissimilatory ferric iron [Fe(III)] reduction in intertidal sediments of the polluted Scheldt estuary, Northwest Europe, was assessed by combining field-based geochemical measurements with laboratory experiments on the associated microbiology. Microbial communities at a freshwater and brackish location were characterized by culture-independent 16S rRNA gene analysis, as well as enrichments, strain isolation and physiological screening. Dilution-to-extinction batch enrichments using a variety of Fe(III) sources were performed. The dilution factor of the inoculum in the enrichments had a more determining effect on the Fe(III)-reducing microbial community structure than the Fe(III) source. Well-known Fe(III) reducers, including members of the family Geobacteraceae and the genus Shewanella, constituted only a small fraction (≤ 1%) of the in situ microbial community. Instead, facultative anaerobic Ralstonia and strictly anaerobic, spore-forming Clostridium species dominated Fe(III) reduction. These species were able to utilize a variety of electron acceptors. This flexibility may help the organisms to survive in the dynamic estuarine environment. The high diversity and abundance of culturable Fe(III) reducers (4.6 × 10
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1956-1968
    JournalEnvironmental Microbiology
    Volume9
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2007

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