Metallosphaera sedula DSM 5348 Genome sequencing

Metabolic versatility means that various energy substrtes can be adopted to propagate the extreme thermoacidophiles inocula for bioleaching at industrial scale. Therefore, it is essential to first evaluate the impacts of typical energy substrates propagated inocula on subsequent chalcopyrite bioleaching by extreme thermoacidophiles at bench-scale. However, such studies are not available yet. To remedy this lack of information, here, the differences of Metallosphaera sedula inocula propagated either heterotrophically or mixotrophically with typical energy substrates on subsequent chalcopyrite bioleaching were compared, and the underlying mechanisms were explored by comparative transcriptome analysis. Novel genes probably involved in sulfur oxidation were first identified. These results highlight extreme thermoacidophile inocula that were propagated mixotrophically improves subsequent chalcopyrite bioleaching and provide insights into the adaptive mechanisms of extreme thermoacidophiles to typical inorganic energy substrates that are common inside chalcopyrite ore heap.