• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.464-469
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• 2011

The arsH gene is one of the arsenic resistance system in bacteria and eukaryotes. The ArsH protein was annotated as a NADPH-dependent flavin mononucleotide (FMN) reductase with unknown biological function. Here we report for the first time that the ArsH protein showed high ferric reductase activity. Glu104 was an essential residue for maintaining the stability of the FMN cofactor. The ArsH protein may perform an important role for cytosolic ferric iron assimilation in vivo.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1672-1677
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• 2008

IscR (iron-sulfur cluster regulator) has been reported to be a repressor of the iscRSUA operon, and in vitro transcription reactions have revealed that IscR has a repressive effect on the iscR promoter in the case of [$Fe_{2}S_{2}$] cluster loading. In the present study, the iscR gene from A. ferrooxidans ATCC 23270 was cloned and successfully expressed in Escherichia coli, and then purified by one-step affinity chromatography to homogeneity. The molecular mass of the IscR was 18 kDa by SDS-PAGE. The optical and EPR spectra results for the recombinant IscR confirmed that an iron-sulfur cluster was correctly inserted into the active site of the protein. However, no [$Fe_{2}S_{2}$] cluster was assembled in apoIscR with ferrous iron and sulfide in vitro. Therefore, the [$Fe_{2}S_{2}$] cluster assembly in IscR in vivo would appear to require scaffold proteins and follow the Isc "AUS" pathway.

• Proceedings of the KSEEG Conference
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.19-21
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• 2002

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.400-407
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• 2003

In microbial coal desulfurization process (MCDP) by using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, the effect of process variables on pyritic sulfur removal efficiency has been investigated. The inhibitory effect of toxic materials contained in coal matrix on the activity of desulfurizing bacteria have been evaluated in coal extracts, and the results showed that the method was useful to evaluate the applicability of a coal which is to be desulfurization to MCDP. The removal efficiency increased with decreasing particle size and decreases with increasing pulp density, but has no significant influence of particle size and pup densities at high pulp densities over 20 wt%. The mass transfers of gaseous nutrients such as oxygen and carbon dioxide into coal slurry with various pulp densities and coal particle size has been studied in an airlift bioreactor. Mass transfer coefficient was independent of pulp density in coal slurry with fine particle below 175 $\mu\textrm{m}$, but significantly decreased with increasing pulp density over 225 $\mu\textrm{m}$. The coal particles over 575 $\mu\textrm{m}$ were significantly settled to the bottom of bioreactor resulting in poor mixing. Considering mass transfer, pulp density and coal mixing, an optimal size of coal particle for the microbial coal desulfurization process seems to be about 500 $\mu\textrm{m}$.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.30-44
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• 2011

This review describes the involvement of different microorganisms for the recovery of uranium from the ore. Mainly Acidithiobacillus forrooxidans, Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and Leptospirillum ferrooxidans are found to be the most widely used bacteria in the bioleaching process of uranium. The bioleaching of uranium generally follows indirect mechanism in which bacteria provide the ferric iron required to oxidize $U^{4+}$. Commercial applications of bioleaching have been incorporated for extracting valuable metals, due to its favorable process economics and reduced environmental problems compared to conventional metal recovery processes such as smelting. At present the uranium is recovered through main bioleaching techniques employed by heap, dump and in situ leaching. Process development has included recognition of the importance of aeration of bioheaps, and improvements in stirred tank reactor design and operation. Concurrently, knowledge of the key microorganisms involved in these processes has advanced, aided by advances in molecular biology to characterize microbial populations.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1070-1075
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• 2008

IscA was proposed to be involved in the iron-sulfur cluster assembly encoded by the iscSUA operon, but the role of IscA in the iron-sulfur cluster assembly still remains controversial. In our previous study, the IscA from A. ferrooxidans was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli, and purified to be a [$Fe_4S_4$] -cluster-containing protein. Cys35, Cys99, and Cys101 were important residues in ligating with the [$Fe_4S_4$] cluster. In this study, Asp97 was found to be another ligand for the iron-sulfur cluster binding according to site-directed mutagenesis results. Molecular modeling for the IscA also showed that Asp97 was a strong ligand with the [$Fe_4S_4$] cluster, which was in good agreement with the experimental results. Thus, the [$Fe_4S_4$] cluster in IscA from A. ferrooxidans was ligated by three cysteine residues and one aspartic acid.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.294-300
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• 2010

The Iro protein is a member of the HiPIP family with the [$Fe_4S_4$] cluster for electron transfer. Many reports proposed that the conserved aromatic residues might be responsible for the stability of the iron-sulfur cluster in HiPIP. In this study, Tyr10 was found to be a critical residue for the stability of the [$Fe_4S_4$] cluster, according to site-directed mutagenesis results. Tyr10, Phe26, and Phe48 were essential for the stability of the [$Fe_4S_4$] cluster under acidic condition. Trp44 was not involved in the stability of the [$Fe_4S_4$] cluster. Molecular structure modeling for the mutant Tyr10 proteins revealed that the aromatic group of Tyr10 may form a hydrophobic barrier to protect the [$Fe_4S_4$] cluster from solvent.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.49 no.12
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• pp.956-966
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• 2011

Bioleaching studies of metals from a spent catalyst were conducted using both adapted and unadapted bacterial cultures. The bacterium used in this experiment was Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. A comparison of the kinetics of leaching was made between the two cultures by varying the leaching parameters, including the pulp density, particle size and temperature. Both cultures showed similar effects with respect to the above parameters, but the leaching rates of all metals were higher with the adapted compared to the unadapted bacterial cultures. The leaching reactions were continued for 240 h in the case of the unadapted bacterial culture, but only for 40 h in the case of the adapted bacterial culture. The leaching reactions followed first order kinetics. In addition, the kinetics of leaching was concluded to be a diffusion control model; therefore, the product layers were impervious.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.328-333
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• 2004

To treat a waste gas containing a high strength H2S, the two-stages microbial desulfurization process that conof a bioreactor immobilized with Acidithiobacillusferrooxidans and a chemical absorption scrubber has was proposed. After 4 times repeat of batch cultures, the immobilized bioreactor has been stabilized and the rate of iron oxidation reached 0.89 kg . $m^{-3}{\cdot}m^{-1}$ at steady state. The two-stages microbial desulfurization prowas able to be operated for a long term over 54 days. The removal efficiencies of H2S were 97-99% at a space velocity of 70 h-I and a inlet concentration of 37,000 ppmv. The maximum elimination capacity of H2S was approximately 3.3 kg S . $m^{-3}{\cdot}m^{-1}$. In the bioractor, the concentrations of the $Fe^{3+}$ and the immobilzed cell were constantly maintained during the desulfurization.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 2014

The research evaluates the possibility of generating electricity using pyrite containing mine tailings, which are the major cause of acid mine drainage (AMD), by applying iron oxidizing bacteria (in this case, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans) and chemical fuel cell technology. The changes in the aqueous $Fe^{2+}$ concentration, which can represent an ionized form of pyrite, with an initial concentration of 9,000 mg/L were investigated during the 20 d growth period. Both the $Fe^{2+}$ and total iron (i.e., total $Fe^{2+}$)concentrations with or without A. ferrooxidans were observed. The $Fe^{2+}$ concentration decreased to about 6,000 mg/L, in the abiotic condition, while it decreased to about 400 mg/L in the biotic condition. The results showed that the increased $Fe^{2+}$ oxidation in the presence of A. ferrooxidans (i.e., catalytic ability of A. ferrooxidans) can be applied to electricity generation using pyrite containing mine tailings. In the co-presence of A. ferrooxidans and pyrite containing mine tailings, $Fe^{2+}$ oxidation and hence electron production increases, which, in turn, improves current density. This study can be applied to utilize ecological functions of indigenous bacteria in mine areas to enhance electricity generation efficiency.