Preparation of a DNA gene probe for detection of mercury resistance genes in gram-negative bacterial communities

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5662886

Barkay, T; Fouts, D L; Olson, B H

A DNA gene probe was prepared to study genetic change mechanisms responsible for adaptation to mercury in natural bacterial communities. The probe was constructed from a 2.6-kilobase NcoI-EcoRI DNA restriction fragment which spans the majority of the mercury resistance operon (mer) in the R-factor R100. The range of specificity of this gene probe was defined by hybridization to the DNA of a wide variety of mercury-resistance bacteria previously shown to possess the mercuric reductase enzyme. All of the tested gram-negative bacteria had DNA sequences homologous to the mer probe, whereas no such homologies were detected in DNA of the gram-positive strains. Thus, the mer probe can be utilized to study gene flow processes in gram-negative bacterial communities.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Irvine
• OSTI ID: 5662886
• Journal Information: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States) Vol. 49:3; ISSN AEMID
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560302* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Microorganisms-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BACTERIA
BIOLOGICAL ADAPTATION
BIOLOGY
DNA
ELEMENTS
ENZYMES
GENES
GENETICS
HYBRIDIZATION
MERCURY
METALS
MICROORGANISMS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDOREDUCTASES
SENSITIVITY
TOLERANCE
TOXICITY