TY - JOUR
T1 - Tetraether-linked membrane monolayers in Ferroplasma spp
T2 - A key to survival in acid
AU - Macalady, Jennifer L.
AU - Vestling, Martha M.
AU - Baumler, David
AU - Boekelheide, Nick
AU - Kaspar, Charles W.
AU - Banfield, Jillian F.
PY - 2004/10
Y1 - 2004/10
N2 - Ferroplasma acidarmanus thrives in hot, extremely low pH, metal-rich solutions associated with dissolving metal sulfide ore deposits. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and thin layer chromatography analyses of F. acidarmanus membranes indicate that tetraether lipids predominate, with at least three core lipid structures. NMR measurements indicate that the cytoplasmic pH of F. acidarmanus is ∼5.6. The optimal growth pH is ∼1.2, and the lowest growth pH is ∼0.0. Thus, these organisms maintain pH gradients across their membranes that approach 5 pH units. Tetraether lipids were originally thought to be specifically associated with thermophiles but are now known to be widely distributed within the archaeal domain. Our data, in combination with recently published results for thermophilic and mesothermophilic acidophilic archaea, indicate that there may be a stronger association between tetraether lipids and tolerance to acid and/or large metal ion gradients.
AB - Ferroplasma acidarmanus thrives in hot, extremely low pH, metal-rich solutions associated with dissolving metal sulfide ore deposits. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and thin layer chromatography analyses of F. acidarmanus membranes indicate that tetraether lipids predominate, with at least three core lipid structures. NMR measurements indicate that the cytoplasmic pH of F. acidarmanus is ∼5.6. The optimal growth pH is ∼1.2, and the lowest growth pH is ∼0.0. Thus, these organisms maintain pH gradients across their membranes that approach 5 pH units. Tetraether lipids were originally thought to be specifically associated with thermophiles but are now known to be widely distributed within the archaeal domain. Our data, in combination with recently published results for thermophilic and mesothermophilic acidophilic archaea, indicate that there may be a stronger association between tetraether lipids and tolerance to acid and/or large metal ion gradients.
KW - Acid mine drainage
KW - Acidophile
KW - Archaea
KW - Membrane monolayer
KW - Tetraether lipid
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U2 - 10.1007/s00792-004-0404-5
DO - 10.1007/s00792-004-0404-5
M3 - Article
C2 - 15258835
AN - SCOPUS:8744242152
VL - 8
SP - 411
EP - 419
JO - Extremophiles : life under extreme conditions
JF - Extremophiles : life under extreme conditions
SN - 1431-0651
IS - 5
ER -