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Tetraether-linked membrane monolayers in Ferroplasma spp: a key to survival in acid

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Abstract

Ferroplasma acidarmanus thrives in hot, extremely low pH, metal-rich solutions associated with dissolving metal sulfide ore deposits. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and thin layer chromatography analyses of F. acidarmanus membranes indicate that tetraether lipids predominate, with at least three core lipid structures. NMR measurements indicate that the cytoplasmic pH of F. acidarmanus is ~5.6. The optimal growth pH is ~1.2, and the lowest growth pH is ~0.0. Thus, these organisms maintain pH gradients across their membranes that approach 5 pH units. Tetraether lipids were originally thought to be specifically associated with thermophiles but are now known to be widely distributed within the archaeal domain. Our data, in combination with recently published results for thermophilic and mesothermophilic acidophilic archaea, indicate that there may be a stronger association between tetraether lipids and tolerance to acid and/or large metal ion gradients.

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Acknowledgements

A total lipid extract of H. saccharovorum was kindly provided by Dr. Linda Jahnke, NASA Ames Research Center, Ames, Calif. We also thank Mark E. Anderson of the University of Wisconsin NMR facility for his assistance in NMR measurements. Funding was provided by NSF LExEN grant number MC9978205, NSF EGB grant number CHE 9807598, and DOE Microbial Genomics Program grant number ER63160-1017457-0007147.

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  1. Jennifer L. Macalady

    Present address: Geology Department, Carleton College, One North College Street, Northfield, MN 55057, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California Berkeley, McCone Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-4767, USA

    Jennifer L. Macalady & Jillian F. Banfield

  2. Chemistry Department, University of Wisconsin Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706-1396, USA

    Martha M. Vestling

  3. Department of Food Microbiology and Toxicology, University of Wisconsin Madison, 1925 Willow Drive, Madison, WI 53706-1692, USA

    David Baumler & Charles W. Kaspar

  4. Geology Department, Carleton College, One North College Street, Northfield, MN 55057, USA

    Nick Boekelheide

  5. Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California Berkeley, 369 McCone Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-4767, USA

    Jillian F. Banfield

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Correspondence to Jennifer L. Macalady.

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Macalady, J.L., Vestling, M.M., Baumler, D. et al. Tetraether-linked membrane monolayers in Ferroplasma spp: a key to survival in acid. Extremophiles 8, 411–419 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00792-004-0404-5

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