Research on the development of highly improved method for bioleaching from low-grade sulfide ores

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An iron-oxidizing bacterium, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, is one of the key organisms used in industrial bioleaching applications. Both iron- and sulfur-oxidizing activities are necessary for bioleaching. However, expressions of genes involved in sulfur oxidation are strongly repressed in the presence of ferrous iron. In this research, a protein (ScpB) thought to be involved in the transcriptional regulation of suifide:quinone reductase gene was examined. The transcription of scpB gene was highly activated in sulfur-grown cells. ScpB could bind to putative promoter regions of genes involved in iron or RISC oxidation. Although thiosulfate metabolism in this bacterium has not been characterized, a new gene involved in thiosulfate metabolism has been identified. The properties of the enzyme (thiosulfate dehydrogenase) was characterized.