Diversity of As Metabolism Functional Genes in Pb-Zn Mine Tailings

作     者：LI Xiaofang Philip L.BOND Longbin HUANG 

作者机构：Centre for Agricultural Resources Research Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology Chinese Academy of Sciences Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation Sustainable Minerals Institute The University of Queensland Advanced Water Management Centre The University of Queensland 

出 版 物：《Pedosphere》 (土壤圈（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2017年第27卷第3期

页      面：630-637页

核心收录：

学科分类：0710[理学-生物学] 1007[医学-药学(可授医学、理学学位)] 100705[医学-微生物与生化药学] 07[理学] 071005[理学-微生物学] 10[医学] 

基　　金：financially supported by The University of Queensland Postdoctoral Fund and Mount Isa Mines  Glencore Ltd. (formerly Xstrata Copper Ltd.)  Australia 

主　　题：arsenic cycling arsM local BLASTN procedure metagenomics revegetation Thioalkalivibrio sp. 

摘      要：Microbial activities impact arsenic （As） transformation in mine tailings substantially, yet little is understood on the functional diversity of As metabolism genes. This study explored this issue using a metagenomic approach coupled by a local BLASTN procedure established in our recent studies. An assembled metagenome, recovered from hypersaline and sulfidic mine tailings, was screened for As metabolism genes aioA, arrA, arsC and arsM. This was done using a local BLASTN procedure against databases of the As metabolism genes built in this study. Putative As metabolism genes detected in the assembled metagenome included 11 arsM, 20 arsC and 1 arrA full-length sequences. Together with the rRNA-based phylogenetic profiling results, a picture depicting microbial As cycling in the tailings to the genus level was obtained. It was found that most of the dominant genera in the tailings potentially harboured the genes for As reduction and/or methylation. In particular, a typical pyrite-eater present in the tailings, Thioalkalivibrio sp., was found to harbour not only arsC and arsM, but also arrA. These results highlight the unexpected diversity of As metabolism genes in the tailings, especially considering the extremely low species diversity therein. The microbial As cycling picture established here has potential use for guiding the purposeful manipulation of As biogeochemistry in the railings.