Degradation of sulfur compounds by heterotrophic microorganisms and associated formation of corrosive gas emission

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K12202
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 63040:Environmental impact assessment-related
• Research Institution: Independent Administrative Institution National Institutes for Cultural Heritage Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties
• Principal Investigator: KATAYAMA Yoko 独立行政法人国立文化財機構東京文化財研究所, 保存科学研究センター, 客員研究員 (90165415)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 佐藤 嘉則 独立行政法人国立文化財機構東京文化財研究所, 保存科学研究センター, 室長 (50466645)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 微生物代謝 / 真菌類 / 細菌類 / 気体状硫黄化合物 / 硫化カルボニル / 微生物劣化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The microbial emission and degradation of carbonyl sulfide (COS) was studied in fungi and bacteria. Although fungi isolated from soil generally show high COS-degrading activity, strains THIF09 and THIF13 and their relatives released COS, clearly indicating that information on COS-emitting fungi is important for understanding COS dynamics in the environments. A high frequency of COS-degrading bacteria was found in heterotrophic bacteria isolated from detached fragments collected from normally closed decorative tombs, indicating that COS-degrading bacteria are widespread in tombs. The genome of Thiobacillus thioparus strain THI115, in which SCNase and COSase were first discovered, was determined and genes involved in sulfur metabolism and chemolithoautotrophic growth were identified.

Free Research Field

環境微生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

COSは成層圏エアロゾルの原因物質のひとつであり、気候変動の予測にCOSの動態情報は欠かせない。COSの放出が確認された真菌は土壌に広く分布するものであり、今後は土壌微生物によるCOS放出も含めた議論が重要であることを明示した。密閉環境から分離された従属栄養性細菌に高頻度でCOS分解と硫化水素の放出が確認され、顔料などへの影響の可能性が考えられる。T. thioparus THI115は硫黄代謝に関する新規酵素が発見された菌株であり、本菌株のゲノム情報は今後の研究において極めて重要な研究ツールとなる。