TY - JOUR
T1 - A bacterium that can grow by using arsenic instead of phosphorus
AU - Wolfe-Simon, Felisa
AU - Blum, Jodi Switzer
AU - Kulp, Thomas R.
AU - Gordon, Gwyneth
AU - Hoeft, Shelley E.
AU - Pett-Ridge, Jennifer
AU - Stolz, John F.
AU - Webb, Samuel M.
AU - Weber, Peter K.
AU - Davies, Paul
AU - Anbar, Ariel
AU - Oremland, Ronald S.
PY - 2011/6/3
Y1 - 2011/6/3
N2 - Life is mostly composed of the elements carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and phosphorus. Although these six elements make up nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids and thus the bulk of living matter, it is theoretically possible that some other elements in the periodic table could serve the same functions. Here, we describe a bacterium, strain GFAJ-1 of the Halomonadaceae, isolated from Mono Lake, California, that is able to substitute arsenic for phosphorus to sustain its growth. Our data show evidence for arsenate in macromolecules that normally contain phosphate, most notably nucleic acids and proteins. Exchange of one of the major bio-elements may have profound evolutionary and geochemical importance.
AB - Life is mostly composed of the elements carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and phosphorus. Although these six elements make up nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids and thus the bulk of living matter, it is theoretically possible that some other elements in the periodic table could serve the same functions. Here, we describe a bacterium, strain GFAJ-1 of the Halomonadaceae, isolated from Mono Lake, California, that is able to substitute arsenic for phosphorus to sustain its growth. Our data show evidence for arsenate in macromolecules that normally contain phosphate, most notably nucleic acids and proteins. Exchange of one of the major bio-elements may have profound evolutionary and geochemical importance.
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U2 - 10.1126/science.1197258
DO - 10.1126/science.1197258
M3 - Article
C2 - 21127214
AN - SCOPUS:79957945423
SN - 0036-8075
VL - 332
SP - 1163
EP - 1166
JO - Science
JF - Science
IS - 6034
ER -