Harrison A P, Jarvis B W, Johnson J L
J Bacteriol. 1980 Jul;143(1):448-54. doi: 10.1128/jb.143.1.448-454.1980.
From several presumably pure cultures of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, we isolated a pair of stable phenotypes. One was a strict autotroph utilizing sulfur or ferrous iron as the energy source and unable to utilize glucose; the other phenotype was an acidophilic obligate heterotroph capable of utilizing glucose but not sulfur or ferrous iron. The acidophilic obligate heterotroph not only was encountered in cultures of T. ferrooxidans, but also was isolated with glucose-mineral salts medium, pH 2.0, directly from coal refuse. By means of deoxyribonucleic acid homology, we have demonstrated that the acidophilic heterotrophs are of a different genotype from T. ferrooxidans, not closely related to this species; we have shown also that the acidophilic obligate heterotrophs, regardless of their source of isolation, are related to each other. Therefore, cultures of T. ferrooxidans reported capable of utilizing organic compounds should be carefully examined for contamination. The acidophilic heterotrophs isolated by us are different from T. acidophilis, which is also associated with T. ferrooxidans but is facultative, utilizing both glucose and elemental sulfur as energy sources. Since they are so common and tenacious in T. ferrooxidans cultures, the heterotrophs must be associated with T. ferrooxidans in the natural habitat.
从几种推测为纯培养的氧化亚铁硫杆菌中，我们分离出了一对稳定的表型。一种是严格的自养型，利用硫或亚铁作为能源，不能利用葡萄糖；另一种表型是嗜酸专性异养型，能够利用葡萄糖，但不能利用硫或亚铁。嗜酸专性异养型不仅在氧化亚铁硫杆菌培养物中出现，而且还在pH为2.0的葡萄糖-矿物盐培养基中直接从煤矸石中分离得到。通过脱氧核糖核酸同源性分析，我们证明嗜酸异养型与氧化亚铁硫杆菌具有不同的基因型，与该物种关系不密切；我们还表明，嗜酸专性异养型，无论其分离来源如何，彼此之间都有关系。因此，对于报道的能够利用有机化合物的氧化亚铁硫杆菌培养物，应仔细检查是否受到污染。我们分离出的嗜酸异养型与嗜酸氧化硫硫杆菌不同，嗜酸氧化硫硫杆菌也与氧化亚铁硫杆菌有关，但它是兼性的，既能利用葡萄糖又能利用元素硫作为能源。由于它们在氧化亚铁硫杆菌培养物中如此常见且顽强，异养型在自然生境中一定与氧化亚铁硫杆菌有关联。
