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Science 14 July 2006:
Vol. 313. no. 5784, pp. 233 - 236
DOI: 10.1126/science.1125878
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Reports

Biomineralization of Gold: Biofilms on Bacterioform Gold

Frank Reith,1,2* Stephen L. Rogers,1,4 D. C. McPhail,1,2 Daryl Webb3

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.

1 Cooperative Research Centre for Landscape Environments and Mineral Exploration, Post Office Box 1130, Bentley, Western Australia 6102, Australia.
2 Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, Australian National University, Acton, ACT 0200, Australia.
3 Research School of Biological Sciences, Electron Microscopy Unit, Australian National University, Acton, ACT 0200, Australia.
4 Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Land and Water, PMB2, Glen Osmond, South Australia 5064, Australia.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: frank.reith{at}csiro.au

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)