Release of Arsenic from Soil by a Novel Dissimilatory Arsenate-Reducing Bacterium, Anaeromyxobacter sp. Strain PSR-1

A novel arsenate-reducing bacterium, designated strain PSR-1, was isolated from arsenic-contaminated soil. Strain PSR-1 was phylogenetically closely related to Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans 2CP-1(T) with 16S rRNA gene similarity of 99.7% and coupled the oxidation of acetate with the reduction of arsenate. Arsenate reduction was inhibited almost completely by respiratory inhibitors such as dicumarol and 2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline N-oxide. Strain PSR-1 also utilized soluble Fe(III), ferrihydrite, nitrate, oxygen, and fumarate as electron acceptors. Strain PSR-1 catalyzed the release of arsenic from arsenate-adsorbed ferrihydrite. In addition, inoculation of washed cells of strain PSR-1 into sterilized soil successfully reproduced arsenic release. Arsenic K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) analysis revealed that the proportion of arsenite in the soil solid phase actually increased from 20% to 50% during incubation with washed cells of strain PSR-1. These results suggest that strain PSR-1 is capable of reducing not only dissolved arsenate but also arsenate adsorbed on the soil mineral phase. Arsenate reduction by strain PSR-1 expands the metabolic versatility of Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans. Considering its distribution throughout diverse soils and anoxic sediments, Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans may play a role in arsenic release from these environments.