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. 1996 Feb;62(2):743–746. doi: 10.1128/aem.62.2.743-746.1996

Genetic manipulation of polyphosphate metabolism affects cadmium tolerance in Escherichia coli.

J D Keasling 1, G A Hupf 1
PMCID: PMC167843  PMID: 8593078

Abstract

The polyphosphate metabolic pathways in Escherichia coli were genetically manipulated to test the effect of polyphosphate on tolerance to cadmium. A polyphosphate kinase (ppk) and polyphosphatase (ppx) mutant strain produced no polyphosphate, whereas the same strain carrying multiple copies of ppk on a high-copy plasmid produced significant quantities. The doubling times of both strains increased with increasing cadmium concentrations. In contrast, the mutant strain carrying multiple copies of ppk and ppx produced 1/20 of the polyphosphate found in the strain carrying multiple copies of ppk only and showed no significant increase in doubling time over the same cadmium concentration range.

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Selected References

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