Genetic transfer in acidophilic bacteria

Conference · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6166741

Roberto, F F; Glenn, A W; Bulmer, D; Ward, T E

There is increasing interest in the use of microorganisms to recover metals from ores, as well as to remove sulfur from coal. These so-called bioleaching processes are mediated by a number of bacteria. The best-studied of these organisms are acidophiles including Thiobacillus and Acidiphilium species. Our laboratory has focused on developing genetic strategies to allow the manipulation of acidophilic bacteria to improve and augment their utility in large scale operations. We have recently been successful in employing conjugation for interbacterial transfer of genetic information, as well as in directly transforming Acidiphilium by use of electroporation. We are now testing the properties of IncPl, IncW and IncQ plasmid vectors in Acidiphilium to determine their relative usefulness in routine manipulation of acidophiles and transfer between organisms. This study also allows us to determine the natural ability of these bacteria to transfer genetic material amongst themselves in their particular environment. 21 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.

• Research Organization: EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/FE
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-76ID01570
• OSTI ID: 6166741
• Report Number(s): EGG-M-90089; CONF-900531-4; ON: DE91006168
• Resource Relation: Conference: 1. international symposium on the biological processing of coal, Orlando, FL (USA), 1-3 May 1990
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ESCHERICHIA COLI
GENETIC ENGINEERING
THIOBACILLUS FERROXIDANS
CLONING
COAL
DESULFURIZATION
PLASMIDS
BACILLUS
BACTERIA
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
MATERIALS
MICROORGANISMS
SULFUR-OXIDIZING BACTERIA
010402* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Purification & Upgrading
550700 - Microbiology
550400 - Genetics