A proteome investigation of roxarsone degradation by Alkaliphilus oremlandii strain OhILAs

Clostridial species predominate in both chicken gastrointestinal tract as well as litter where the organoarsenical roxarsone (3-nitro 4-hydroxybenzenearsonic acid) is anaerobically transformed releasing the more recognized toxic inorganic arsenic. 2D-gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry were used to evaluate the changes in protein expression of Alkaliphilus oremlandii in response to different growth conditions (e.g., terminal electron acceptors) in order to explore the mechanism of microbial biotransformation of roxarsone. Aldehyde ferredoxin oxidoreductase, the enzyme that belongs to the xanthine oxidase family of molybdoenzymes was significantly overexpressed in the presence of roxarsone suggesting a role in the anaerobic metabolism of this substituted nitrophenol.