Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 15 October 2004:
Vol. 306. no. 5695, p. 455
DOI: 10.1126/science.1102374
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Brevia

arrA Is a Reliable Marker for As(V) Respiration

D. Malasarn,1 C. W. Saltikov,2 K. M. Campbell,3 J. M. Santini,4 J. G. Hering,3 D. K. Newman2,3*

Arsenate [As(V)]-respiring bacteria affect the speciation and mobilization of arsenic in the environment. This can lead to arsenic contamination of drinking water supplies and deleterious consequences for human health. Using molecular genetics, we show that the functional gene for As(V) respiration, arrA, is highly conserved; that it is required for As(V) reduction to arsenite when arsenic is sorbed onto iron minerals; and that it can be used to identify the presence and activity of As(V)-respiring bacteria in arsenic-contaminated iron-rich sediments. The expression of arrA thus can be used to monitor sites in which As(V)-respiring bacteria may be controlling arsenic geochemistry.

1 Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
2 Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
3 Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
4 Department of Microbiology, La Trobe University, 3086 Victoria, Australia.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: dkn{at}caltech.edu

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Desulfosporosinus youngiae sp. nov., a spore-forming, sulfate-reducing bacterium isolated from a constructed wetland treating acid mine drainage.
Y.-J. Lee, C. S. Romanek, and J. Wiegel (2009)
Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 59, 2743-2746
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Microbial Mineral Weathering for Nutrient Acquisition Releases Arsenic.
B. J. Mailloux, E. Alexandrova, A. R. Keimowitz, K. Wovkulich, G. A. Freyer, M. Herron, J. F. Stolz, T. C. Kenna, T. Pichler, M. L. Polizzotto, et al. (2009)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol. 75, 2558-2565
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Ecophysiology of "Halarsenatibacter silvermanii" Strain SLAS-1T, gen. nov., sp. nov., a Facultative Chemoautotrophic Arsenate Respirer from Salt-Saturated Searles Lake, California.
J. S. Blum, S. Han, B. Lanoil, C. Saltikov, B. Witte, F. R. Tabita, S. Langley, T. J. Beveridge, L. Jahnke, and R. S. Oremland (2009)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol. 75, 1950-1960
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Transcriptional Map of Respiratory Versatility in the Hyperthermophilic Crenarchaeon Pyrobaculum aerophilum.
A. E. Cozen, M. T. Weirauch, K. S. Pollard, D. L. Bernick, J. M. Stuart, and T. M. Lowe (2009)
J. Bacteriol. 191, 782-794
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Selenate-Dependent Anaerobic Arsenite Oxidation by a Bacterium from Mono Lake, California.
J. C. Fisher and J. T. Hollibaugh (2008)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol. 74, 2588-2594
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Characterization of the Arsenate Respiratory Reductase from Shewanella sp. Strain ANA-3.
D. Malasarn, J. R. Keeffe, and D. K. Newman (2008)
J. Bacteriol. 190, 135-142
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The cymA Gene, Encoding a Tetraheme c-Type Cytochrome, Is Required for Arsenate Respiration in Shewanella Species.
J. N. Murphy and C. W. Saltikov (2007)
J. Bacteriol. 189, 2283-2290
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Molecular Analysis of Arsenate-Reducing Bacteria within Cambodian Sediments following Amendment with Acetate.
G. Lear, B. Song, A. G. Gault, D. A. Polya, and J. R. Lloyd (2007)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol. 73, 1041-1048
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Dissimilatory Arsenate and Sulfate Reduction in Sediments of Two Hypersaline, Arsenic-Rich Soda Lakes: Mono and Searles Lakes, California.
T. R. Kulp, S. E. Hoeft, L. G. Miller, C. Saltikov, J. N. Murphy, S. Han, B. Lanoil, and R. S. Oremland (2006)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol. 72, 6514-6526
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Microbial Transformations of Arsenic in the Environment: From Soda Lakes to Aquifers.
J. R. Lloyd and R. S. Oremland (2006)
Elements 2, 85-90
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Sulfide Oxidation Coupled to Arsenate Reduction by a Diverse Microbial Community in a Soda Lake.
J. T. Hollibaugh, C. Budinoff, R. A. Hollibaugh, B. Ransom, and N. Bano (2006)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol. 72, 2043-2049
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Interactions between the Fe(III)-Reducing Bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens and Arsenate, and Capture of the Metalloid by Biogenic Fe(II).
F. S. Islam, R. L. Pederick, A. G. Gault, L. K. Adams, D. A. Polya, J. M. Charnock, and J. R. Lloyd (2005)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol. 71, 8642-8648
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Expression Dynamics of Arsenic Respiration and Detoxification in Shewanella sp. Strain ANA-3.
C. W. Saltikov, R. A. Wildman Jr., and D. K. Newman (2005)
J. Bacteriol. 187, 7390-7396
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Genes and Enzymes Involved in Bacterial Oxidation and Reduction of Inorganic Arsenic.
S. Silver and L. T. Phung (2005)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol. 71, 599-608
   Full Text »    PDF »
What Genetics Offers Geobiology.
D. K. Newman and J. A. Gralnick (2005)
Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry 59, 9-26
   Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)