Abstract
WE have screened a large number of R plasmid-bearing Escherichia coli and obtained a few that confer resistance to the organomercurials phenylmercuric acetate (PMA) and methylmercuric chloride (MMA). Resistance to cationic Hg(II) in E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa has invariably been associated with plasmids that also mediate resistance to various antibiotics (R plasmids)1-6. The mechanism of mercury resistance, is the enzymatic reduction of Hg(II) to Hg(0), which is volatile2,7,8. Previously, no organomercurial-reducing E. coli strains have been reported. The only organomercurial-reducing strain studied in detail is a PMA-resistant soil pseu-domonad7-9. As organomercurials including PMA are a human health problem10, it will be of interest to see if the mercury(ial) resistance of the bacteria in our alimentary canal influences the fate of ingested mercury(ials).
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 335-337 |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| Journal | Nature |
| Volume | 251 |
| Issue number | 5473 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 1 1974 |
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Volatilisation of mercury and organomercurials determined by inducible R-factor systems in enteric bacteria. / Schottel, Janet; Mandal, Amalendu; Clark, Dan; Silver, Simon; Hedges, R. W.
In: Nature, Vol. 251, No. 5473, 01.12.1974, p. 335-337.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Volatilisation of mercury and organomercurials determined by inducible R-factor systems in enteric bacteria
AU - Schottel, Janet
AU - Mandal, Amalendu
AU - Clark, Dan
AU - Silver, Simon
AU - Hedges, R. W.
PY - 1974/12/1
Y1 - 1974/12/1
N2 - WE have screened a large number of R plasmid-bearing Escherichia coli and obtained a few that confer resistance to the organomercurials phenylmercuric acetate (PMA) and methylmercuric chloride (MMA). Resistance to cationic Hg(II) in E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa has invariably been associated with plasmids that also mediate resistance to various antibiotics (R plasmids)1-6. The mechanism of mercury resistance, is the enzymatic reduction of Hg(II) to Hg(0), which is volatile2,7,8. Previously, no organomercurial-reducing E. coli strains have been reported. The only organomercurial-reducing strain studied in detail is a PMA-resistant soil pseu-domonad7-9. As organomercurials including PMA are a human health problem10, it will be of interest to see if the mercury(ial) resistance of the bacteria in our alimentary canal influences the fate of ingested mercury(ials).
AB - WE have screened a large number of R plasmid-bearing Escherichia coli and obtained a few that confer resistance to the organomercurials phenylmercuric acetate (PMA) and methylmercuric chloride (MMA). Resistance to cationic Hg(II) in E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa has invariably been associated with plasmids that also mediate resistance to various antibiotics (R plasmids)1-6. The mechanism of mercury resistance, is the enzymatic reduction of Hg(II) to Hg(0), which is volatile2,7,8. Previously, no organomercurial-reducing E. coli strains have been reported. The only organomercurial-reducing strain studied in detail is a PMA-resistant soil pseu-domonad7-9. As organomercurials including PMA are a human health problem10, it will be of interest to see if the mercury(ial) resistance of the bacteria in our alimentary canal influences the fate of ingested mercury(ials).
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U2 - 10.1038/251335a0
DO - 10.1038/251335a0
M3 - Article
VL - 251
SP - 335
EP - 337
JO - Nature
JF - Nature
SN - 0028-0836
IS - 5473
ER -