Comment on “A Bacterium That Can Grow by Using Arsenic Instead of Phosphorus”

Wolfe-Simon et al. (Research Articles, 3 June 2011, p. 1163; published online 2 December 2010) reported that the bacterial strain GFAJ-1 can grow by using arsenic (As) instead of phosphorus (P), noting that the P content in bacteria grown in +As/-P culture medium was far below the quantity needed to support growth. However, low P content is a common phenotype across a broad range of environmental bacteria that experience P limitation.