Characterization of microbiological community in natural REE-containing matrixes


Characterization of microbiological community in natural REE-containing matrixes

Kutschke, S.; Raff, J.; Pollmann, K.

Biochemistry of REE is very poorly understood. As microbes drive biogeochemistry in many ecosystems it can be expected with various yet unknown organisms that play a role in REE biogeochemistry. Thus these environments are a promising source for the recovery of microbes that are suitable candidates for their application in REE extraction and recycling.
The microbial community is a close metabolic network, where some of the organisms actively contribute to the carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus cycle and other microorganisms interact with minerals, metals, and pollutants. On the one hand such a microbial community is well adapted to environment and on other hand it is influenced by the geochemical parameters. Investigation of microbial community of REE containing matrixes has to be accompanied by (geo)-chemical analyses. Geochemical and structural soil parameters like organic compounds, ion exchange or waterholding capacity and porosity influence the microbial population. Moreover daily or seasonal changes of physical matrix properties force the microbial community to adapt. Reflection of environmental circumstances is one challenge describing natural microbial community (Xu 2006). The most sensitive describing tools are culture independent genomic methods. These genomic methods describe and characterize the majority of microorganisms including even the uncultivated microorganisms. Generated metagenomic data will be matched with already existing genomic databases. Up to now genetic methods like PCR fingerprinting techniques and fluorescence in situ hybridization used to identify and quantify microorganisms interacted with REE containing ore. Nevertheless genomic information of energetic metabolism, phosphate, sulfur and iron metabolism, quorum sensing, and genes involved in metal resistance and amino acid biosynthesis pathways were identified (Jerez 2008). As already mentioned the data base for comparative genomic is small. To extent this fundament it is necessary to extract single strains, to cultivate them and to analyze their genomes.
Jerez, C. A. (2008). "The use of genomics, proteomics and other OMICS technologies for the global understanding of biomining microorganisms." Hydrometallurgy 94(1–4): 162-169.
Xu, J. (2006). "Microbial ecology in the age of genomics and metagenomics: Concepts, tools, and recent advances." Molecular Ecology 15(7): 1713-1731.

  • Poster
    World Congress and Expo on Applied Microbiology 2015, 18.-20.08.2015, Frankfurt, Deutschland

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Publ.-Id: 22239