Comparative genome and protein analysis for Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans strains in terms of heavy metal binding as an application for biomining

Abstract The majority of microorganisms cannot endure extreme conditions, including heavy metals, high salinity, acidity, alkalinity, and various stress factors. However, only a few can endure extreme environments, with the genus Acidithiobacillus being widely recognized. Studies have been conducted to demonstrate how proteomic alterations occur in reaction to heavy metals like copper, zinc, nickel, cadmium, potassium, iron, molybdenum, and arsenic. Entire genome sequencing of various Acidithiobacillus species has revealed new understandings of their roles. Four distinct functional gene categories were thoroughly examined for their capacity to bind heavy metals in the context of biomining applications. The complete genome sequence acquired was annotated and examined with Ezbiocloud software. Subsequently, utilizing the 16S rRNA gene sequence of the A. ferrooxidans YNTRS-40 strain, the sequence's purity was evaluated through cont16s rRNA provided by EZbiocloud. Based on the phylogeny derived, two extremes were noted: one being the nearest strain, A. ferrooxidans ATCC 23720 , and the other being the outgroup, A. albertensis DSM 14366. Twenty-two distinct heavy metal binding genes were examined using RAST annotation software. The genes included were Mod, ZnuA, ZnuC, MerP, SufA, PstB, PstS, PhnK, PhnL, FeoB, MntH, MerC, MgtC , and PhoU . The analyzed bacteria with these genes were recognized as having the potential for application in heavy metal bioremediation.