Accumulation of Aluminium by Anabaena cylindrica into Polyphosphate Granules and Cell Walls: an X-ray Energy-dispersive Microanalysis Study

Pettersson, Anders; Kunst, Ljerka; Bergman, Birgitta; Roomans, Godfried M.

doi:10.1099/00221287-131-10-2545

Cited by 42 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…In Anabaena cylindrica, Al accumulated in internal polyphosphate bodies, particularly if cells were grown in P-rich media that increased the amount of P stored in these structures (Pettersson et al, 1985b). However, Al uptake did not require energy and was unaffected by the P status, and hence the size of polyphosphate bodies in the cells (Pettersson et al, 1986).…”

Section: Direct Effects Of Aluminum On Phosphorus Physiologymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Bioavailability and Toxicity of Aluminum in Aquatic Environments

Gensemer

Playle

1999

Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology

633

444

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ABSTRACT:In this article we review the biological effects of Al, primarily with respect to the chemical factors controlling Al bioavailability and toxicity, and how its biological effects are best predicted. Our intent is not to duplicate recent reviews on Al chemistry or toxicity, but rather to update the literature since these reviews were published, and to focus on Al speciation and other external chemical influences on Al bioavailability to freshwater biota. Briefly, we first review Al chemistry, with a specific focus on understanding, as well as measuring, Al chemical species of importance to aquatic biota. Next we more comprehensively review Al toxicity and bioavailability to freshwater algae, with a thorough analysis of the relationships between speciation and toxicity, the role of important chemical complexing agents such as P, Si, and organic carbon, as well as the potential for Al to impact algal community structure. A third section reviews the more sparse literature on aquatic higher plants; the fourth section reviews a somewhat more abundant literature of Al toxicity to freshwater invertebrates. We close with an updated review of Al toxicity to fish, again with a focus on mechanisms of toxicity, and the role of Al speciation in controlling bioavailability.

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Section: Direct Effects Of Aluminum On Phosphorus Physiologymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Bioavailability and Toxicity of Aluminum in Aquatic Environments

Gensemer

Playle

1999

Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology

633

444

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“…Sulfites may also react with pyrimidine residues of nucleic acids (17,26), which can lead to genetic damage and cell death. Mechanisms by which aluminum affects microorganisms include its binding to the cell wall causing impaired permeability (2,9); its replacement of divalent metal complexes, chiefly Mg and Ca, in cells or cell membranes (1); and its complexion with ATP (6), DNA (32), and phosphates causing phosphate deprivation (21), pH effect, and inactivation of enzymes (8). A recent study also indicated that aluminum causes osmoregulative disorder apparently connected with the malfunctioning of the cell membrane and cell wall in Arthrobacter sp.…”

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confidence: 99%

Ultrastructural Alterations of Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica Caused by Treatment with Aluminum Chloride and Sodium Metabisulfite

Yaganza

Rioux

Simard

et al. 2004

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Aluminum and bisulfite salts inhibit the growth of several fungi and bacteria, and their application effectively controls potato soft rot caused by Erwinia carotovora. In an effort to understand their inhibitory action, ultrastructural changes in Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica after exposure (0 to 20 min) to different concentrations (0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 M) of these salts were examined by using transmission electron microscopy. Plasma membrane integrity was evaluated by using the SYTOX Green fluorochrome that penetrates only cells with altered membranes. Bacteria exposed to all aluminum chloride concentrations, especially 0.2 M, exhibited loosening of the cell walls, cell wall rupture, cytoplasmic aggregation, and an absence of extracellular vesicles. Sodium metabisulfite caused mainly a retraction of plasma membrane and cellular voids which were more pronounced with increasing concentration. Bacterial mortality was closely associated with SYTOX stain absorption when bacteria were exposed to either a high concentration (0.2 M) of aluminum chloride or prolonged exposure (20 min) to 0.05 M aluminum chloride or to a pH of 2.5. Bacteria exposed to lower concentrations of aluminum chloride (0.05 and 0.1 M) for 10 min or less, or to metabisulfite at all concentrations, did not exhibit significant stain absorption, suggesting that no membrane damage occurred or it was too weak to allow the penetration of the stain into the cell. While mortality caused by aluminum chloride involves membrane damage and subsequent cytoplasmic aggregation, sulfite exerts its effect intracellularly; it is transported across the membrane by free diffusion of molecular SO 2 with little damage to the cellular membrane.Aluminum and bisulfite salts are toxic to several microorganisms including fungi (7, 15, 16) and bacteria (1, 8). Aluminum chloride and sodium metabisulfite were shown to be toxic at low concentrations against Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica and Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora (32a), gramnegative motile rod bacteria causing important economic losses in a wide variety of vegetable crops. Of particular interest, the application of these salts on potato tubers was effective in controlling soft rot caused by both bacteria (32a), a disease of high economic significance for the potato industry.Postulated mechanisms of sulfite toxicity or inhibition of microbial growth include reactions with protein disulfide groups (3,19,25), inhibition of enzyme activities by inactivating their cofactors (e.g., thiamine pyrophosphate) (31) or coenzymes (e.g., NAD) (20,25,27,29), and rapid depletion of ATP and ADP pools (14). Sulfites may also react with pyrimidine residues of nucleic acids (17, 26), which can lead to genetic damage and cell death. Mechanisms by which aluminum affects microorganisms include its binding to the cell wall causing impaired permeability (2, 9); its replacement of divalent metal complexes, chiefly Mg and Ca, in cells or cell membranes (1); and its complexion with ATP (6), DNA (32), and phosphates causing phos...

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“…Complexation was required, as the acid phosphatase was sensitive to the presence of free metal in solution (43). The insoluble metal phosphates precipitated on the surface of the cell.Polyphosphate, a phosphate polymer with chain lengths of two to a few hundred, has been implicated in metal tolerance and removal in many microorganisms (1,42,49). Polyphosphate is reversibly and processively synthesized by polyphosphate kinase (PPK) with the addition of a phosphate from a high-energy phosphoryl donor, such as ATP, and irreversibly and processively hydrolyzed by exopolyphosphatase (PPX) (22).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Uranyl Precipitation byPseudomonas aeruginosavia Controlled Polyphosphate Metabolism

Renninger¹,

Knopp²,

Nitsche

et al. 2004

Appl Environ Microbiol

108

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The polyphosphate kinase gene from Pseudomonas aeruginosa was overexpressed in its native host, resulting in the accumulation of 100 times the polyphosphate seen with control strains. Degradation of this polyphosphate was induced by carbon starvation conditions, resulting in phosphate release into the medium. The mechanism of polyphosphate degradation is not clearly understood, but it appears to be associated with glycogen degradation. Upon suspension of the cells in 1 mM uranyl nitrate, nearly all polyphosphate that had accumulated was degraded within 48 h, resulting in the removal of nearly 80% of the uranyl ion and >95% of lesser-concentrated solutions. Electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) suggest that this removal was due to the precipitation of uranyl phosphate at the cell membrane. TRLFS also indicated that uranyl was initially sorbed to the cell as uranyl hydroxide and was then precipitated as uranyl phosphate as phosphate was released from the cell. Lethal doses of radiation did not halt phosphate secretion from polyphosphate-filled cells under carbon starvation conditions.Biological methods for the removal of heavy metals and actinides have recently been investigated due to their cost effectiveness at moderate metal concentrations. Many strains have been isolated that sorb (14,23,51,59,61), reduce (10, 18, 52, 56), and precipitate (4, 33, 41, 44, 45) metals, usually on the outer membrane of the cell. Sorption is generally achieved in a reversible process and is dependent on the composition of the water being treated, as other chelating agents compete with the complexing moieties on the cell. Thus, the applicability of this method in more complex waste streams or environments may be somewhat suspect due to the relatively low binding affinities of cellular components for metals compared to chelators, such as humic or organic acids. Reduction is generally limited to anaerobic processes and is ineffective against single-oxidationstate metals. Precipitation has the advantage of producing chemically stable forms of metal, and its use is not limited to reducible metals.With respect to the biological precipitation of metals, both metal sulfides (12,57,58,60) and metal phosphates (4, 33, 45) have been investigated due to their low solubilities. While some work has been done to produce sulfide aerobically (57), its production is generally an anaerobic process, limiting its applicability. The release of phosphate via the hydrolysis of an organic phosphate has been shown to be an effective method for the precipitation of metals on cell membranes. Macaskie and Dean (30) isolated a cadmium-resistant strain of Citrobacter that precipitated numerous metals, such as uranyl ion, as metal phosphates through the use of a membranebound acid phosphatase (26,31,32). Using glycerol-2-phosphate as a phosphate source, the organism cleaved phosphate from the source in the periplasmic space, leaving it to bind with metals that had been complexe...

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Accumulation of Aluminium by Anabaena cylindrica into Polyphosphate Granules and Cell Walls: an X-ray Energy-dispersive Microanalysis Study

Cited by 42 publications

References 13 publications

The Bioavailability and Toxicity of Aluminum in Aquatic Environments

The Bioavailability and Toxicity of Aluminum in Aquatic Environments

Ultrastructural Alterations of Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica Caused by Treatment with Aluminum Chloride and Sodium Metabisulfite

Uranyl Precipitation byPseudomonas aeruginosavia Controlled Polyphosphate Metabolism

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