Microbial transformations of selenium

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1977 · Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6300969

Doran, J W; Alexander, M

Resting cell suspensions of a strain of Corynebacterium isolated from soil formed dimethyl selenide from selenate, selenite, elemental selenium, selenomethionine, selenocystine, and methaneseleninate. Extracts of the bacterium catalyzed the production of dimethyl selenide from selenite, elemental selenium, and methaneseleninate, and methylation of the inorganic Se compounds was enhanced by S-adenosylmethionine. Neither trimethylselenonium nor methaneselenonate was metabolized by the Corynebacterium. Resting cell suspensions of a methionine-utilizing pseudomonad converted selenomethionine to dimethyl diselenide. Six of 10 microorganisms able to grow on cystine used selenocystine as a sole source of carbon and formed elemental selenium, and one of the isolates, a pseudomonad, was found also to produce selenide. Soil enrichments converted trimethylselenonium to dimethyl selenide. Bacteria capable of utilizing trimethylselenonium, dimethyl selenide, and dimethyl diselenide as carbon sources were isolated from soil. 21 references, 4 figures, 2 tables.

• Research Organization: Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY
• OSTI ID: 6300969
• Journal Information: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States), Vol. 33:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CORYNEBACTERIUM FASCIANS
GROWTH
SELENIUM
METABOLISM
CYSTINE
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
METHIONINE
METHYLATION
MINERAL CYCLING
SELENATES
SELENIDES
SELENITES
SELENIUM COMPOUNDS
AMINO ACIDS
BACTERIA
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DATA
DISULFIDES
DRUGS
ELEMENTS
INFORMATION
LIPOTROPIC FACTORS
MICROORGANISMS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SEMIMETALS
550500* - Metabolism