Characterization of a mercury-reducing Bacillus cereus strain isolated from the Pulicat lake sediments, south east coast of India

Kannan, Seralathan Kamala ; Mahadevan, Subramony ; Krishnamoorthy, Ramaswamy (2006) Characterization of a mercury-reducing Bacillus cereus strain isolated from the Pulicat lake sediments, south east coast of India Archives of Microbiology, 185 (3). pp. 202-211. ISSN 0302-8933

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Official URL: http://www.springerlink.com/content/9j571612653xh1...

Related URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00203-006-0088-6

Abstract

Pulicat Lake sediments are often severely polluted with the toxic heavy metal mercury. Several mercury-resistant strains of Bacillus species were isolated from the sediments and all the isolates exhibited broad spectrum resistance (resistance to both organic and inorganic mercuric compounds). Plasmid curing assay showed that all the isolated Bacillus strains carry chromosomally borne mercury resistance. Polymerase chain reaction and southern hybridization analyses using merA and merB3 gene primers/probes showed that five of the isolated Bacillus strains carry sequences similar to known merA and merB3 genes. Results of multiple sequence alignment revealed 99% similarity with merA and merB3 of TnMERI1 (class II transposons). Other mercury resistant Bacillus species lacking homology to these genes were not able to volatilize mercuric chloride, indicating the presence of other modes of resistance to mercuric compounds.

Item Type:Article
Source:Copyright of this article belongs to Springer-Verlag.
Keywords:Mercury Reduction; Bacillus cereus; Pulicat Lake; Heavy Metals; Horizontal Gene Exchange
ID Code:20750
Deposited On:20 Nov 2010 13:37
Last Modified:28 Feb 2011 04:52

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