1) and the community compositions reflected this change in geochemical conditions. Several novel lineages were identified within the archaeal Thermoplasmatales order associated with the pyrite slump, and the Red Pool (pH 1.4) contained the only population of Acidithiobacillus. Relatively small populations of Sulfobacillus spp. and Acidithiobacillus caldus may metabolize elemental sulfur as an intermediate species in the oxidation of pyritic sulfide to sulfate. Experiments show that elemental sulfur which forms on pyrite surfaces is resistant to most oxidants; its solublization by unattached cells may indicate involvement of a microbially derived electron shuttle. The detachment of thiosulfate (S2O32-) as a leaving group in pyrite oxidation should result in the formation and persistence of tetrathionate in low pH ferric iron-rich AMD solutions. However, tetrathionate is not observed. Although a S2O32--like species may form as a surface-bound intermediate, data suggest that Fe3+ oxidizes the majority of sulfur to sulfate on the surface of pyrite. This may explain why microorganisms that can utilize intermediate sulfur species are scarce compared to Fe-oxidizing taxa at the Richmond Mine site."/>
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Table IV List of 16S rRNA gene sequences and their taxonomic affiliations (based on BLAST searches of NCBI GenBank database) from the January 19, 2001 sampling. n.i. = not included in phylogenetic analyses.

From: Acid mine drainage biogeochemistry at Iron Mountain, California

Mine site Clones in Fig. 7 Closest match Similarity Classification No. of clones
01IM1-A drift "red pool" n.i. Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans 99% Gammaproteobacteria 21
  BA33 Bond clone BA29 (Leptosprillum group III) 97% Nitrospira 7
  BA24 Leptospirillum ferriphilum   Nitrospira 4
  BA39 Leptospirillum ferrooxidans strain 49879 99% Nitrospira 3
  BA8 Sulfobacillus sp. Frasl, AF213055 94% Bacillales 3
  BA9, BA31, BA71 Iron Mountain Bond clone BA71 99% Deltaproteobacteria 3
  BA2 Uncultured eubacterium WD247, AJ292581 95% Acidobacteria 1
A drift slump AS 10 Uncultured coal refuse clone ARCP1-21 96% B plasma, Thermoplasmales 6
  AS1, AS7 Uncultured coal refuse clone ARCP1-21 93% and 95% Cplasma, Thermoplasmales 5
  AS4 Uncultured coal refuse clone ARCP1-27 98% Dplasma, Thermoplasmales 4
  AS9 Bond clone BA29 (Leptosprillum group III) 98% Nitrospira 7
  AS6 Iron Mountain Bond clone BA18 98% Deltaproteobacteria 3
  n.i. Iron Mountain Bond clone BA71 99% Deltaproteobacteria 1
  n.i. Leptospirillum ferriphilum 97% Nitrospira 2
  Several (Ref. 38) Ferroplasma acidarmanus >98% Thermoplasmales 1
A drift slime streamers Several (Ref. 38) Ferroplasma acidarmanus >98% Thermoplasmales 20
  ASL9 Bond clone BA29 (Leptosprillum group III) 98% Nitrospira 18
  ASL1, ASL32 Uncultured coal refuse clone ARCP1-28 97% and 98% Aplasma, Thermoplasmales 8
  ASL8 Rheims clone TM214 91% Actinobacteria 3
  ASM Ferromicrobium acidophilum 98% Actinobacteria 1
  Baker et al. (Ref. 52) Endosymbiont of Acanthamoeba sp. TUMK23 92% Alphaproteobacteria 2
01IMA1 (A drift weir) Several (Ref. 38) Ferroplasma acidarmanus >98% Thermoplasmales 14
  AW1, AW4 Bond clone BA29 (Leptosprillum group III) 98% and 99% Nitrospira 13
  Baker et al. (Ref. 52) Endosymbiont of Acanthamoeba sp. TUMK23 92% Alphaproteobacteria 2
  n.i. Sulfobacillus sp. Frasl, AF213055 94% Bacillales 1
01IM1B1 (B drift weir) Several (Ref. 38) Ferroplasma acidarmanus >98% Thermoplasmales 26
  n.i. Bond clone BA29 (Leptosprillum group III) 98% Nitrospira 21
  n.i. Sulfobacillus sp. Frasl, AF213055 94% Bacillales 2
  BW7 Sulfobacillus disulfoxidans SD-11, U34974 99% Bacillales 1
01IM1C1 (C drift weir) n.i. Bond clone BA29 (Leptosprillum group III) 98% Nitrospira 18
  Several (Ref. 38) Ferroplasma acidarmanus >98% Thermoplasmales 13
  n.i. Sulfobacillus sp. Frasl, AF213055 94% Bacillales 5
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Geochemical Transactions

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