Mercury and organomercurial resistance determined by plasmids in Staphylococcus aureus
Four independently isolated plasmids of S. aureus contain genes conferring resistance to ionic mercury (Hg/sup 2 +/) and the organomercurials phenylmercury acetate (PMA), p-hydroxymeribenzoate (pHMB), and florescein mercuric acetate (FMA), but not merbromin, thiomerosal, methyl- or ethyl-mercury to which broad-range plasmids from other species confer resistance. The mechanism of resistance to PMA involves enzymatic hydrolysis (hydrolase) to benzene plus Hg/sup 2 +/ which is reduced (reductase) to Hg/sup 0/ and lost from the system by volatilization. The organomercurials, FMA, and pHMB are not degraded and resistance involves some other mechanism. Resistance to mercury and all organomercurials is inducible. The range of inducers includes mercury, PMA, and several organomercurials including merbromin which is not a substrate. Mercury-sensitive mutants have been isolated from plasmids pII147 and pI258 and they fall into three classes: (i) strains devoid of both hydrolase and reductase activities; (ii) strains with normal hydrolase activity, and no reductase; and (iii) strains with normal hydrolase activity and low and variable levels of reductase. The mutants were sensitive to all organomercurials as well as mercury.
- Research Organization:
- Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO
- OSTI ID:
- 6168252
- Journal Information:
- Am. Soc. Microbiol., Abstr. Annu. Meet.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Soc. Microbiol., Abstr. Annu. Meet.; (United States) Vol. 77; ISSN ASMAC
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Organomercurial resistance in Pseudomonads
Mercury and organomercurial resistances determined by plasmids in Pseudomonas
Related Subjects
560302* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Microorganisms-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BACTERIA
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGY
CELL CONSTITUENTS
ELEMENTS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ENZYMES
GENETICS
MERCURY
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
METALS
MICROORGANISMS
MUTANTS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MERCURY COMPOUNDS
OXIDOREDUCTASES
PLASMIDS
STAPHYLOCOCCUS
TOLERANCE