Inorganic and organic mercury resistance in Escherichia coli

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1976 · Am. Soc. Microbiol., Abstr. Annu. Meet.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6253792

Schottel, J; Mandal, A

The resistance to inorganic mercury (HgCl2) and organomercurials such as phenylmercuric acetate (PMA) and methylmercury chloride (MMC) in E. coli K-12 carrying plasmid R831 is determined by an inducible and plasmid-determined enzyme system. The inorganic mercury detoxifying enzyme, which reduces Hg S to Hg, was stimulated by 2-mercapto-ethanol and required NADPH for its activity. This enzyme bound to blue dextran sepharose affinity columns and was eluted with a low concentration of NADPH (0.02 mM). In addition to the inorganic mercury reductase, organomercurial degradation required one or more enzymes that are responsible for first hydrolizing the Hg-C bond (PMA benzene + Hg S; MMC methane + Hg S). When a crude 160,000X g soluble extract of French Press disrupted K-12 (R831) was chromatographed on Sephadex G150, two distinct peaks of PMA-hydrolyzing activity and one separate peak of MMG-hydrolyzing activity were found. This result indicates that at least two different hydrolases, one specific for alkylmercurials (MMC) and one specific for arylmercurials (PMA), may be involved in organomercurial resistance.

• Research Organization: Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO
• OSTI ID: 6253792
• Journal Information: Am. Soc. Microbiol., Abstr. Annu. Meet.; (United States), Vol. 76
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ESCHERICHIA COLI
SENSITIVITY
HYDROLASES
ENZYME ACTIVITY
MERCURY
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
METABOLISM
ORGANIC MERCURY COMPOUNDS
OXIDOREDUCTASES
NADP
PLASMIDS
BACTERIA
CELL CONSTITUENTS
COENZYMES
ELEMENTS
ENZYMES
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
METALS
MICROORGANISMS
NUCLEOTIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
560302* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Microorganisms- (-1987)