Luminescent investigations of terbium(III) biosorption as a surrogate for heavy metals and radionuclides

We describe a metal transport system for investigating the interfacial interactions between the anionic surface charge of a gram-negative bacterium (Escherichia coli) and a trivalent cationic metal, Tb³⁺. We believe this is the first description of the uptake kinetics, sub- and intracellular distrib...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecular and cellular biochemistry 2009-07, Vol.327 (1-2), p.87-92
Main Authors: Achyuthan, Komandoor E, Arango, Dulce C, Carles, Elizabeth L, Cutler, Christopher E, Meyer, Lauren A, Brozik, Susan M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacteria
Biochemistry
Biodegradation, Environmental
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Bioremediation
Cardiology
E coli
Environmental Pollutants - chemistry
Environmental Pollutants - metabolism
Escherichia coli
Escherichia coli - metabolism
Heavy metals
Ion transport
Ions
Kinetics
Life Sciences
Luminescent Measurements
Medical Biochemistry
Metal ions
Metals
Metals, Heavy - chemistry
Metals, Heavy - metabolism
Oncology
Radioactive Pollutants - chemistry
Radioactive Pollutants - metabolism
Radioisotopes
Studies
Terbium
Terbium - chemistry
Terbium - metabolism
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Summary:We describe a metal transport system for investigating the interfacial interactions between the anionic surface charge of a gram-negative bacterium (Escherichia coli) and a trivalent cationic metal, Tb³⁺. We believe this is the first description of the uptake kinetics, sub- and intracellular distribution, and temporal fate of Tb³⁺ ion in E. coli. We used the luminescence of the terbium-dipicolinic acid chelate to study metal ion transport. The bacteria had a high tolerance for the metal (IC₅₀ = 4 mM Tb³⁺). Metal ion transport was passive and metabolism independent. The uptake kinetics rapidly reached a maximum within 15 min, followed by a stasis for 60 min, and declining thereafter between 120 and 240 min, resulting in a biphasic curve. During this period, greater than one-third of the metal ion was sequestered within the cell. Our choice of a safe Biosafety Level I E. coli bacteria and the relatively non-toxic Tb³⁺ metal represents a model system for luminescent investigations of biosorption, for studying bacterial-water interfacial chemistry and for the bioremediation of heavy metals and radionuclides.
ISSN:0300-8177
1573-4919
DOI:10.1007/s11010-009-0046-0