Question:
Which solid culture can T. ferrooxidans grow well?
Replies:
Two solid medium formulations, designated 100:10 and
10:10, were developed for the growth of
Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. The new media contain a
mixture of both ferrous iron and thiosulfate as
available energy sources, permitting the detection of
colony morphology variants that arise spontaneously
in a wild-type population. Several morphological and
physiological characteristics of a class of T.
ferrooxidans variants, termed LSC for large spreading
colony, are described. LSC variants lack the ability
to oxidize iron but retain the capacity to utilize
thiosulfate or tetrathionate as energy sources. An LSC
colony spreads on the surface of solid 100:10 medium
as a monolayer of cells in a fashion resembling that
of certain swarming or gliding bacteria. The LSC
variant reverts to a parental wild type at
frequencies that vary in different independently
arising isolates. The identity of the LSC variant as a
derivative of the parental wild-type T. ferrooxidans
was established by Southern blot hybridization.
NEWTON is an electronic community for Science, Math, and Computer Science K-12 Educators, sponsored and operated by Argonne National Laboratory's Educational Programs, Andrew Skipor, Ph.D., Head of Educational Programs.
