Acidithiobacillus

Taxobox
color = lightgrey
name = "Acidithiobacillus"
regnum = Eubacteria
phylum = Proteobacteria
classis = Gamma Proteobacteria
ordo = Acidithiobacillales
familia = Acidithiobacillaceae
genus = "Acidithiobacillus"
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision ="Acidithiobacillus albertensis"
"Acidithiobacillus caldus"
"Acidithiobacillus cuprithermicus"
"Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans"
"Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans"

"Acidithiobacillus" is a genus of proteobacteria. The members of this genus used to belong to "Thiobacillus", before they were reclassified in the year 2000. [cite journal |author=Kelly, D.P., and Wood, A.P. |title=Reclassification of some species of "Thiobacillus" to the newly designated genera "Acidithiobacillus" gen. nov., "Halothiobacillus" gen. nov. and "Thermithiobacillus" gen. nov." |journal=Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. |volume=50 |issue=|pages=489–500|year=2000 [http://ijs.sgmjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/50/2/511] ]

* "Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans" (syn. "Thiobacillus ferrooxidans") lives in pyrite deposits, metabolizing iron and sulfur and producing sulfuric acid.
* "Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans" (syn. "Thiobacillus thiooxidans") consumes sulfur and produces sulfuric acid. Though first isolated from the soil [cite journal |author=Selman A. Waksman and J.S. Joffe |title=Microorganisms Concerned in the Oxidation of Sulfur in the Soil II. Thiobacillus Thiooxidans, a New Sulfur-oxidizing Organism Isolated from the Soil |journal=J Bacteriol|volume=7 |issue=2|pages=239–256|year=1922 [http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=378965] ] it has also been observed corroding concrete sewer pipes, altering hydrogen sulfide sewage gas into sulfuric acid. [cite journal |author=Sand, W. & Bock, E. |title=Biotest System For Rapid Evaluation Of Concrete Resistance To Sulfur-Oxidizing Bacteria |journal=Materials Performance|volume=26 |issue=3|pages=14–17|year=1987 [http://md1.csa.com/partners/viewrecord.php?requester=gs&collection=TRD&recid=872664CO&q=ROLE+OF+SULFUR+OXIDIZING+BACTERIA+IN+THE+DEGRADATION+OF+CONCRETE&uid=1028269&setcookie=yes] ]

Both of these bacteria are used in a mining technique called bioleaching whereby metals are extracted from their ores through oxidation. The bacteria are used as catalysts.

References

External links

* [http://cmr.tigr.org/tigr-scripts/CMR/GenomePage.cgi?org=gtf "Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 23270" Genome Page]