Role of polysulfides in reduction of elemental sulfur by the hyperthermophilic archaebacterium Pyrococcus furiosus

Journal Article · Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (USA)

OSTI ID:6604934

Blumentals, I; Itoh, M; Kelly, R M ^[1]; Olson, G J ^[2]

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1. Johns Hopkins Univ. Baltimore, MD (USA)
2. National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD (USA)

Polysulfides formed through the breakdown of elemental sulfur or other sulfur compounds were found to be reduced to H{sub 2}S by the hyperthermophilic archaebacterium Pyrococcus furiosus during growth. Metabolism of polysulfides by the organism was dissimilatory, as no incorporation of {sup 35}S-labeled elemental sulfur was detected. However, ({sup 35}S)cysteine and ({sup 35}S)methionine were incorporated into cellular protein. Contact between the organism and elemental sulfur is not necessary for metabolism. The sulfide generated from metabolic reduction of polysulfides dissociates to a strong nucleophile, HS{sup {minus}}, which in turn opens up the S{sub 8} elemental sulfur ring. In addition to H{sub 2}S, P. furiosus cultures produced methyl mercaptan in a growth-associated fashion.

• OSTI ID: 6604934
• Journal Information: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (USA), Journal Name: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (USA) Vol. 56:5; ISSN 0099-2240; ISSN AEMID
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550501* -- Metabolism-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
AMINO ACIDS
ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS
BACTERIA
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS
BIOSYNTHESIS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CYSTEINE
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DRUGS
ELEMENTS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LIGHT NUCLEI
LIPOTROPIC FACTORS
METABOLISM
METHIONINE
MICROORGANISMS
NONMETALS
NUCLEI
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
RADIOISOTOPES
SULFIDES
SULFUR
SULFUR 35
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR ISOTOPES
SYNTHESIS
THERMOPHILIC CONDITIONS
THIOLS
TRACER TECHNIQUES