Growth and surface properties of new thermoacidophilic Archaea strain Acidianus manzaensis YN-25 grown on different substrates

The growth and surface properties of new thermoacidophilic Archaea strain Acidianus manzaensis YN-25 isolated from an acid hot spring in Tengchong, Yunnan Province, China were investigated cultured on different substrates including soluble substrate ferrous sulfate and nonsoluble solid substrates S0, pyrite and chalcopyrite. The growth characteristics of the cells in each substrate were characterized with the changes in cell number, pH, Eh, and concentrations of Fe2+ or SO42−, or ratios of [Fe2+] to [Fe3+], and the surface properties were characterized and analyzed in terms of Zeta-potential, hydrophobicity, and surface FT-IR spectra of the cells. The results show that the cells grown on solid substrates have higher value of isoelectric points. They are more hydrophobic and express more surface proteins than ferrous sulfate grown cells.