Investigation of biosilicification mechanism in geothermal environment

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26292182
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Environmental agriculture(including landscape science)
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Doi Katsumi 九州大学, 農学研究院, 教授 (40253520)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 田代 康介 九州大学, 農学研究院, 准教授 (00192170)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: シリカ / バイオミネラリゼーション / メタゲノム / Thermus / Geobacillus / 鉄飢餓 / プロモーター

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This work aims to investigate biosilicification mechanism in geothermal environment. To complete the study, we carried out metagenomic analysis of microflora in geothermal water and silica scale formed in the geothermal water. Comparative genome analysis showed specific hyperthermophilc microrganisms habitat in only silica scale. According to the results, we examined biosilicification abilities of T. thermophilus, G. kaustophilus, and P. calidifontis as representatives. Among these thermophiles, availability of silica biodeposition of T. thermophilus was significant. We conclude that cell surface proteins of T. thermophilus (molecular weight; 45、57、70 kDa) function to interact with supersaturated silica in environment. These proteins are annotated periplasm localized ABC transporters by ESI-MS/MS analysis.

Free Research Field

微生物遺伝子資源学