Biological materials formed by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and their potential applications

A variety of biological materials including schwertmannite, jarosite, iron-sulfur cluster (ISC) and magnetosomes can be produced by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (A. ferrooxidans). Their possible formation mechanisms involved in iron transformation, iron transport, and electron transfer were proposed. The schwertmannite formation usually occurs under the pH of 2.0-3.51, and a lower or higher pH will promote jarosite to be produced. Available Fe²⁺ in the environment and the carrier proteins that can transport Fe²⁺ to the intracellular membranes of A. ferrooxidans play a critical role in the synthesis of magnetosomes and ISC. The potential applications of these biological materials were reviewed, including removal of heavy metal by schwertmannite, detoxification of toxic species by jarosite, the transference of electron and ripening the iron sulfur protein by ISC, and biomedical application of magnetosomes. Additionally, some perspectives for the molecular mechanisms of synthesis and regulation of these biomaterials were briefly described.