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Microbe-mediated arsenic (As) biotransformation in paddy soils determines the fate of As in soils and its availability to rice plants, yet little is known about the microbial communities involved in As biotransformation. Here, we revealed wide distribution, high diversity, and abundance of arsenite (As(III)) oxidase genes (aioA), respiratory arsenate (As(V)) reductase genes (arrA), As(V) reductase genes (arsC), and As(III) S-adenosylmethionine methyltransferase genes (arsM) in 13 paddy soils collected across Southern China. Sequences grouped with As biotransformation genes are mainly from rice rhizosphere bacteria, such as some Proteobacteria, Gemmatimonadales, and Firmicutes. A significant correlation of gene abundance between arsC and arsM suggests that the two genes coexist well in the microbial As resistance system. Redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated that soil pH, EC, total C, N, As, and Fe, C/N ratio, SO42--S, NO3--N, and NH4+-N were the key factors driving diverse microbial community compositions. This study for the first time provides an overall picture of microbial communities involved in As biotransformation in paddy soils, and considering the wide distribution of paddy fields in the world, it also provides insights into the critical role of paddy fields in the As biogeochemical cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inorganic arsenic (As) is highly toxic and ubiquitous in the environment. Inorganic As can be transformed by microbial methylation, which constitutes an important part of the As biogeochemical cycle. In this study, we investigated As biotransformation by Pseudomonas alcaligenes NBRC14159. P. alcaligenes was able to methylate arsenite [As(III)] rapidly to dimethylarsenate and small amounts of trimethylarsenic oxide. An arsenite S-adenosylmethionine methyltransferase, PaArsM, was identified and functionally characterized. PaArsM shares low similarities with other reported ArsM enzymes (<55%). When P. alcaligenes arsM gene (PaarsM) was disrupted, the mutant lost As methylation ability and became more sensitive to As(III). PaarsM was expressed in the absence of As(III) and the expression was further enhanced by As(III) exposure. Heterologous expression of PaarsM in an As-hypersensitive strain of Escherichia coli conferred As(III) resistance. Purified PaArsM protein methylated As(III) to dimethylarsenate as the main product in the medium and also produced dimethylarsine and trimethylarsine gases. We propose that PaArsM plays a role in As methylation and detoxification of As(III) and could be exploited in bioremediation of As-contaminated environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]