The role of Thiobacillus albertis glycocalyx in the adhesion of cells to elemental sulfur

Abstract

Thiobacillus albertis, a newly characterized acidophilic Thiobacillus sp., was found not to be dependent on physiological conditions such as pH, cellular energy, or peripheral cell envelope sulfhydryl groups for attachment to elemental sulfur (S0). Heat-killed cells or those pretreated with sulfhydryl reagents (iodoacetate or iodoacetamide) were able to adhere to S0 in comparable numbers as assayed by epifluorescence microscopy. In addition, iodoacetate and iodoacetamide were found to be bactericidal, the former more potent than the latter. Sodium lauryl sulfate was found to cause nearly complete detachment of T. albertis cells from glass slides implicating its glycocalyx for this cell–glass attachment. In addition scanning electron microscopy visually revealed T. albertis cellular adhesion to S0 was due to the organism's threadlike glycocalyx material interacting with the sulfur surface. It was concluded that T. albertis glycocalyx plays an important role in the attachment to solid surfaces (glass or S0). In addition T. albertis was shown to colonize S0 surfaces by microcolonies.