Desulfitobacterium hafniense DCB-2 Gene Expression Differences from Pyruvate Fermentation when Grown with Ferric Citrate, Selenate, Nitrate, or Uranyl Acetate. Desulfitobacterium hafniense DCB-2

Desulfitobacterium hafniense DCB-2, a halo-respirer and versatile inorganic ion reducer, grows in hazardous waste contaminated environments. Gene expression changes were determined when the strain was grown in the presence of high concentrations of Fe(+3), Se(+6), U(+6), or NO3(-) as alternative electron acceptors. (Thesis by Christina L. Harzman at Michigan State University, 2009) Overall design: RNA was used to directly compare gene expression in control samples of pyruvate fermentation (20 mM) to fermentation in the presence inorganic electron acceptors or respiration-inducing conditions. The inorganic electron acceptors added to media for fermentation were 1 mM selenate or 0.5 mM uranyl acetate. The respiration-inducing conditions were 50 mM ferric citrate (20 mM lactate carbon source) or 10 mM nitrate (20 mM lactate carbon source). Microarray hybridizations were performed with a dye swap and 3 biological replicates for a total of 6 slides per condition for comparison.