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Quorum sensing enhances Mn(II) oxidation by Pseudomonas sp. YoHu13 via elevated Mn(III) intermediate formation
Zhixiong Huang1, Xingxing Wang2, Lihong Yang1
1State Key Laboratory of Soil Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China; Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China; MEE Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.
None:
Mine-influenced water with high manganese (Mn) level poses a challenge for mining-water treatment. While Mn-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) provide a cost-effective bioremediation solution, and MOB's activity is essential for efficient Mn(II) elimination. Quorum sensing (QS), a pervasive bacterial communication mechanism, is known to regulate microbial stress responses to environmental changes. However, its role in MOB remains unexplored. This study investigates how acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs)-mediated QS affect Mn(II) oxidation by Pseudomonas sp. YoHu13. Results demonstrate that AHLs addition significantly increased total Mn(IV) (tMn(IV)) and Mn(III) production rate. Without AHLs, tMn(IV) and Mn(III) production rate (days 1-5) were 178 ± 1.41 and 12.7 ± 0.24 μM/d, respectively. Increasing mixed AHLs content from 2 to 10 μM boosted tMn(IV) and Mn(III) generation rates to 244 ± 2.04 and 20.5 ± 0.56 μM/d, respectively, while 10 μM C12-HSL (one type of AHLs) achieved maximal yields of 273 ± 19.70 μM/d (tMn(IV)) and 25.6 ± 0.19 μM/d (Mn(III)) within day 1-5. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis confirmed significantly elevated surface Mn(III/IV) content under AHLs treatment. This study combines kinetics with mineral characterization to reveal the QS contribution to MOB oxidation and offers new insights into the QS regulation of Mn(II) bio-elimination.
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