Research

Publications
Title: Extracellular proteins of Desulfovibrio vulgaris as adsorbents and redox shuttles promote biomineralization of antimony
First author: Yu, Huang; Yan, Xizhe; Weng, Wanlin; Xu, Sihan; Xu, Guizhi; Gu, Tianyuan; Guan, Xiaotong; Liu, Shengwei; Chen, Pubo; Wu, Yongjie; Xiao, Fanshu; Wang, Cheng; Shu, Longfei; Wu, Bo; Qiu, Dongru; He, Zhili; Yan, Qingyun
Journal: JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Years: 2022
Volume / issue: /
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127795
Abstract: Biomineralization is the key process governing the biogeochemical cycling of multivalent metals in the environment. Although some sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are recently recognized to respire metal ions, the role of their extracellular proteins in the immobilization and redox transformation of antimony (Sb) remains elusive. Here, a model strain Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough (DvH) was used to study microbial extracellular proteins of functions and possible mechanisms in Sb(V) biomineralization. We found that the functional groups (NH, C--O, O-C--O, NH2-R and RCOH/RCNH2) of extracellular proteins could adsorb and fix Sb(V) through electrostatic attraction and chelation. DvH could rapidly reduce Sb(V) adsorbed on the cell surface and form amorphous nanometer-sized stibnite and/or antimony trioxide, respectively with sulfur and oxygen. Proteomic analysis indicated that some extracellular proteins involved in electron transfer increased significantly (p < 0.05) at 1.8 mM Sb(V). The upregulated flavoproteins could serve as a redox shuttle to transfer electrons from c-type cytochrome networks to reduce Sb(V). Also, the upregulated extracellular proteins involved in sulfur reduction, amino acid transport and protein synthesis processes, and the downregulated flagellar proteins would contribute to a better adaption under 1.8 mM Sb(V). This study advances our understanding of how microbial extracellular proteins promote Sb biomineralization in DvH.