This study demonstrates the efficacy of a direct 5S rRNA assay for the characterization of mixed microbial populations by using as an example the bacteria associated with acidic mining environments. The direct 5S rRNA assay described herein represents a nonselective, direct molecular method for monitoring and characterizing the predominant, metabolically active members of a microbial population...

Applicability of the manometric method for studying the oxidation of pyritic material in the presence of bacteria has been demonstrated. Resting cells of Ferrobacillus ferrooxidans accelerated the oxidation of coal pyrites and coarsely crystalline marcasite, but were inactive on coarsely crystalline pyrite. Resting cells of Thiobacillus thiooxidans were inactive on all pyrites tested. Oxidation...

The adenosine triphosphate3 of Thiobacillus thiooxidans is of special interest because LePage and Umbreit (1943b) presented evidence that it differs from the adenosine triphosphate of other organisms by having the phosphate groups attached to the 3' instead of the 5' position of adenosine. All other bacteria and higher organisms so far examined contain adenosine-5'triphosphate (5'-ATP). Since d...

Thiobacillus thiooxidans, an obligate autotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacterium, has received considerable attention because of the interest and importance attached to a knowledge of its physiology. In the original description of the organism (Waksman and Joffe, 1922) was included a photomicrograph the essential features of which are reproduced from our own cultures in figure 1. We have recently h...