Cloning, expression, and bioinformatics analysis of heavy metal resistance-related genes fd-I and fd-II from Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

作者：Feifan Leng, Yamiao Wu, Shu Hu, Yanjun Jing, Miao Ding, Qingwei Wei, Qingchun Zhang, Yonggang Wang · 发表于：Letters in Applied Microbiology · 年份：2023 · DOI：10.1093/lambio/ovad046 · 被引用次数：4 · 研究领域：Metal Extraction and Bioleaching、Corrosion Behavior and Inhibition、Chromium effects and bioremediation

Five heavy metals were introduced into the bacterial heavy metal resistance tests. The results showed that apparent inhibition effects of Cd2+ and Cu2+ on the growth of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans BYSW1 occurred at high concentrations (>0.04 mol l-1). Significant differences (P < 0.001) were both noticed in the expression of two ferredoxin-encoding genes (fd-I and fd-II) related to heavy metal resistance in the presence of Cd2+ and Cu2+ . When exposed to 0.06 mol l-1 Cd2+, the relative expression levels of fd-I and fd-II were about 11 and 13 times as much as those of the control, respectively. Similarly, exposure to 0.04 mol l-1 Cu2+ caused approximate 8 and 4 times higher than those of the control, respectively. These two genes were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, and the structures, functions of two corresponding target proteins, i.e. Ferredoxin-I (Fd-I) and Ferredoxin-II (Fd-II), were predicted. The recombinant cells inserted by fd-I or fd-II were more resistant to Cd2+ and Cu2+ compared with wild-type cells. This study was the first investigation regarding the contribution of fd-I and fd-II to enhancing heavy metal resistance of this bioleaching bacterium, and laid a foundation for further elucidation of heavy metal resistance mechanisms caused by Fd.