Downloads provided by UsageCounts
Chemolithoautotrophy based on reduced inorganic minerals is considered a primitive energy transduction system. Evidence that a high number of meteorites crashed into the planet during the early period of Earth history led us to test the ability of iron-oxidizing bacteria to grow using iron meteorites as their source of energy. Here we report the growth of two acidophilic iron-oxidizing bacteria, Leptospirillum ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, on a piece of the Toluca meteorite as the only source of energy. The alteration of the surface of the exposed piece of meteorite, the solubilization of its oxidized metal constituents, mainly ferric iron, and the formation of goethite precipitates all clearly indicate that iron-meteorite-based chemolithotrophic metabolism is viable.
Iron-oxidizing bacteria, Acidithiobacillus, Iron, Irons, Meteoroids, Spectrum Analysis, Raman, Toluca meteorite, Iron meteorites, Leptospiraceae, Acidophilic chemolithotrophic microorganisms, Oxidation-Reduction, In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
Iron-oxidizing bacteria, Acidithiobacillus, Iron, Irons, Meteoroids, Spectrum Analysis, Raman, Toluca meteorite, Iron meteorites, Leptospiraceae, Acidophilic chemolithotrophic microorganisms, Oxidation-Reduction, In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 34 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Top 10% | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
| views | 57 | |
| downloads | 179 |

Views provided by UsageCounts
Downloads provided by UsageCounts