Stress-related ecophysiology of members of the genus Rhodanobacter isolated from a mixed waste contaminated subsurface

Highlights

• Rhodanobacter spp. are dominant in acidic, high nitrate and metal contaminated sites.

• Dominance of Rhodanobacter is likely due to tolerance to low pH and heavy metals.

• High organic content increases stress tolerance capacity.

• Longer incubation time is critical for accurate assessment of MIC (various stresses).

Abstract

This work examines the physiologic basis of stress tolerance in bacterial strains of the genus Rhodanobacter that dominate in the acidic and highly metal contaminated near-source subsurface zone of the Oak Ridge Integrated Field Research Challenge (ORIFRC) site. Tolerance of R. denitrificans to levels of different stresses were studied in synthetic groundwater medium and R2A broth. Two strains of R. denitrificans, strains 2APBS1^T and 116-2, tolerate low to circumneutral pH (4–8), high Uranium (1 mmol/L), elevated levels of nitrate (400 mmol/L) and high NaCl (2.5%). A combination of physiologic traits, such as growth at low pH, increased growth in the presence of high organics concentration, and tolerance of high concentrations of nitrate, NaCl and heavy metals is likely responsible for dominance of Rhodanobacter at the ORIFRC site. Furthermore, extended incubation times and use of low carbon media, better approximating site groundwater conditions, are critical for accurate determination of stress responses. This study expands knowledge of the ecophysiology of bacteria from the genus Rhodanobacter and identifies methodological approaches necessary for acquiring accurate tolerance data.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Rhodanobacter / Uranium / Nitrate / Metals / Stress tolerance

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the US Department of Energy (Grant Nos. DE-FG02-00ER62986 and DE-FG02-07ER64373 to J.E.K.) and the Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India (Grant No. BT/Coord.II/01/03/2016) for their support. Fellowship funding for one of the authors (Dr. Pooja Singh) by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, is greatly acknowledged.

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