Biomineralization of Gold: Biofilms on Bacterioform Gold
Abstract
Bacterial biofilms are associated with secondary gold grains from two sites in Australia. 16S ribosomal DNA clones of the genus Ralstonia that bear 99% similarity to the bacterium Ralstonia metallidurans-shown to precipitate gold from aqueous gold(III) tetrachloride-were present on all DNA-positive gold grains but were not detected in the surrounding soils. These results provide evidence for the bacterial contribution to the authigenic formation of secondary bacterioform gold grains and nuggets.
- Publication:
-
Science
- Pub Date:
- July 2006
- DOI:
- 10.1126/science.1125878
- Bibcode:
- 2006Sci...313..233R
- Keywords:
-
- MICROBIO