Isolation of U(VI) reduction-deficient mutants of Shewanella putrefaciens

A U(VI) reduction-deficient mutant (Urr) screening technique was developed and combined with chemical mutagenesis procedures to identify a Urr mutant of Shewanella putrefaciens strain 200. The Urr mutant lacked the ability to grow anaerobically on U(VI) and NO(2)(-), yet retained the ability to grow anaerobically on eight other compounds as terminal electron acceptor. All 11 members of previously isolated sets of Fe(III) and Mn(IV) reduction-deficient mutants of S. putrefaciens 200 displayed Urr-positive phenotypes with the Urr screen and were capable of anaerobic growth on U(VI). This is the first reported isolation of a respiratory mutant that is unable to grow anaerobically on U(VI) as terminal electron acceptor.