Methods for binding and precipitating gold using microbial-derived metallophores and their uses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10174401-B2
Application number	US-201414760527-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2014
Priority date	Jan 14, 2013
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

The present application discloses metallophores that complex soluble gold and generate solid gold forms, including gold nanoparticles. In an embodiment, the metallophores are microbial metabolites isolated from organisms that are resistant to gold, or are analogs thereof. Methods of using the metallophores to extract and detect gold, along with detectors comprising the metallophores are disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of removing soluble gold in a sample comprising:
(a) contacting the sample with a metallophore under conditions which convert the soluble gold into solid gold; and
(b) isolating the solid gold from the sample,
wherein the metallophore is a microbial metabolite which converts the soluble gold to solid gold (Au 0 ) selected from one or more of:

and a compound of Formula III:

wherein R 14 is selected from C 8-16 alkyl and C 8-16 alkenyl,
or a salt of any of the above.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metallophore is delftibactin A:

or delftibactin B:

or a salt thereof, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the metallophore is delftibactin A or a salt thereof.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the metallophore is delftibactin B or a salt thereof.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the metallophore is a combination of delftibactin A and delftibactin B, and/or salts thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conditions for contacting of the sample with the metallophore comprise mixing the sample and the metallophore in solution at ambient temperature for a time sufficient for the formation of solid gold and, optionally, pretreating the sample to liberate soluble gold ions for binding to the metallophore.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the formation of the solid gold is detected by observing formation of a dark precipitate which is observed using colormetric detection or visually.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the dark precipitate is observed using colormetric detection.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the sample is pre-treated to liberate the soluble gold ions.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the sample is pre-treated with acid solutions to liberate the soluble gold ions.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solid gold that is formed is gold nanoparticles.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein one, two or three, different metallophores are used.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the isolation of the solid gold is by centrifugation or filtration.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the soluble gold is a gold ion.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the soluble gold is Au 3+ .

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample is a liquid solution.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the sample is an environmental sample where the presence of toxic soluble gold is undesirable.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample does not comprise iron.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metallophore is selected from one or more of:

or a salt of any of the above.

Assignees

• Univ Mcmaster

Inventors

• Wyatt Aubrey Morgan Bailey
• Johnston Chad
• Magarvey Nathan

Classifications

• B22F1/054

  Nanosized particles · CPC title

• C12P21/02

  having a known sequence of two or more amino acids, e.g. glutathione · CPC title

• C22B3/18 Primary

  with the aid of microorganisms or enzymes, e.g. bacteria or algae · CPC title

• C22B11/04

  by wet processes (extraction of metal compounds by leaching in organic solutions C22B3/16; treatment or purification of solutions by liquid-liquid extraction C22B3/26) · CPC title

• C07K7/02

  Linear peptides containing at least one abnormal peptide link · CPC title