Response to mercury (II) ions in Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath)

Boden, Rich and Murrell, J. Colin (2011) Response to mercury (II) ions in Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath). FEMS Microbiology Letters, 324 (2). pp. 106-110. ISSN 0378-1097

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Abstract

The mercury (II) ion is toxic and is usually detoxified in Bacteria by reduction to elemental mercury, which is less toxic. This is catalysed by an NAD(P)H-dependent mercuric reductase (EC 1.16.1.1). Here, we present strong evidence that Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) – a methanotrophic member of the Gammaproteobacteria – uses this enzyme to detoxify mercury. In radiorespirometry studies, it was found that cells exposed to mercury dissimilated 100% of [14C]-methane provided to generate reducing equivalents to fuel mercury (II) reduction, rather than the mix of assimilation and dissimilation found in control incubations. The detoxification system is constitutively expressed with a specific activity of 352 (±18) nmol NADH oxidized min-1 (mg protein)-1. Putative mercuric reductase genes were predicted in the M. capsulatus (Bath) genome and found in mRNA microarray studies. The MerA-derived polypeptide showed high identity (> 80%) with MerA sequences from the Betaproteobacteria.

Item Type:	Article
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Environmental Biology Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Resources, Sustainability and Governance (former - to 2018) Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (former - to 2017)
Depositing User:	Rhiannon Harvey
Date Deposited:	27 Mar 2012 09:43
Last Modified:	15 Dec 2022 01:20
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/38482
DOI:	10.1111/j.1574-6968.2011.02395.x

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