DNA probe-mediated detection of resistant bacteria from soils highly polluted by heavy metals

Journal Article · Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (USA)

OSTI ID:6653205

Diels, L; Mergeay, M ^[1]

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1. Center of Studies for Nuclear Energy, Mol (Belgium)

Alcaligenes eutrophus CH34 DNA fragments encoding resistance to Cd{sup 2+}, Co{sup 2+}, Zn{sup 2+} (czc), or Hg{sup 2+} (merA) were cloned and used as probes in colony hybridization procedures with bacteria isolated from polluted environments such as a zinc factory area (desertified because of the toxic effects of zinc contamination) and from sediments from factories of nonferrous metallurgy in Belgium and mine areas in Zaire. From the different soil samples, strains could be isolated and hybridized with the czc probe (resistance to Cd{sup 2+}, Co{sup 2+}, and Zn{sup 2+} from plasmid pMOL30). Percentages of CFU isolated on nonselective plates which hybridized with czc and the mercury resistance probes were, respectively, 25 and 0% for the zinc desert, 15 to 20 and 10 to 20% for the two Belgian factories, and 40 and 40% for the Likasi mine area. Most of these strains also carried two large plasmids of about the same size as those of A. eutrophus CH34 and shared many phenotypic traits with this strain. These findings indicated a certain correlation between the heavy-metal content in contaminated soils and the presence of heavy-metal-resistant megaplasmid-bearing A. eutrophus strains.

• OSTI ID: 6653205
• Journal Information: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (USA), Vol. 56:5; ISSN 0099-2240
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
COBALT COMPOUNDS
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
ZINC COMPOUNDS
BACTERIA
BELGIUM
CFU
DNA-CLONING
HYBRIDIZATION
PLASMIDS
SEDIMENTS
SOILS
TOLERANCE
ZAIRE REPUBLIC
AFRICA
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CLONING
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DNA HYBRIDIZATION
EUROPE
MICROORGANISMS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
WESTERN EUROPE
540220* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)