企画総説「地球化学の最前線」
中性pH付近で生育する鉄酸化菌の生理生態とその生物地球化学的重要性
キーワード:
Iron-oxidizing microorganisms,
Biogeochemical cycling,
Chemosynthetic ecosystem,
Biogenic iron oxides
2015 年 49 巻 1 号 p. 1-17
詳細
2015 年 49 巻 1 号 p. 1-17
Iron is a key element to understand global biogeochemical cycling. Microorganisms are involved in redox cycling of iron in natural environments. In particular, neutrophilic iron-oxidizing microorganisms that grow at circumneutral pH potentially play a significant role in global iron oxidation at redox boundaries. However, little is known about neutrophilic iron-oxidizing microorganisms because only a few cultivated species have been reported to date despite a long research history. In this review, knowledge about neutrophilic iron-oxidizing microorganisms, i.e., phylogeny, physiology, ecology, spatial distribution, and unique extracellular polymeric substances, is summarized, including the most recent reports. This will provide useful information to various scientific fields: not only microbiology, but also geochemistry, astrobiology and environmental engineering.
