Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1991 Jun;57(6):1581–1589. doi: 10.1128/aem.57.6.1581-1589.1991

Distribution of DNA Sequences Encoding Narrow- and Broad-Spectrum Mercury Resistance

Paul A Rochelle 1, Mary K Wetherbee 1, Betty H Olson 1,*
PMCID: PMC183436  PMID: 16348501

Abstract

The distribution of DNA sequences homologous with three mer genes was determined in unselected and mercury-resistant water and sediment isolates. The maximum proportions of unselected bacterial isolates containing DNA hybridizing with the 358merA, 358merB, and 501merR probes, derived from gram-negative organisms, were 93.8, 21, and 100%, respectively. Up to 53.3% of mercury chloride-resistant isolates and 54% of methylmercury hydroxide-resistant isolates did not contain DNA homologous with 358merA or 358merB, respectively. Hybridizations performed at high and low stringencies demonstrated that divergence of the merA gene accounted for many of the mercury-resistant but probe-negative isolates. Sixteen mercury-resistant Bacillus spp. isolated from the least contaminated site all contained DNA homologous with 258merA, originally from a gram-positive organism, but only four hybridized weakly with 358merA. The results demonstrate the wide distribution of mercury resistance genes but, because of the diversity of genetic determinants, highlight the importance of using multiple detection techniques and gene probes derived from a variety of origins for such studies.

Full text

PDF
1581

Images in this article

1584Image
on p.1584
1585Image
on p.1585
1587Image
on p.1587

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Barkay T. Adaptation of aquatic microbial communities to hg stress. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1987 Dec;53(12):2725–2732. doi: 10.1128/aem.53.12.2725-2732.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Barkay T., Fouts D. L., Olson B. H. Preparation of a DNA gene probe for detection of mercury resistance genes in gram-negative bacterial communities. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1985 Mar;49(3):686–692. doi: 10.1128/aem.49.3.686-692.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Barkay T., Liebert C., Gillman M. Environmental significance of the potential for mer(Tn21)-mediated reduction of Hg2+ to Hg0 in natural waters. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1989 May;55(5):1196–1202. doi: 10.1128/aem.55.5.1196-1202.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Barkay T., Liebert C., Gillman M. Hybridization of DNA probes with whole-community genome for detection of genes that encode microbial responses to pollutants: mer genes and Hg2+ resistance. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1989 Jun;55(6):1574–1577. doi: 10.1128/aem.55.6.1574-1577.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Barkay T., Olson B. H. Phenotypic and genotypic adaptation of aerobic heterotrophic sediment bacterial communities to mercury stress. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1986 Aug;52(2):403–406. doi: 10.1128/aem.52.2.403-406.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Chaudhry G. R., Toranzos G. A., Bhatti A. R. Novel method for monitoring genetically engineered microorganisms in the environment. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1989 May;55(5):1301–1304. doi: 10.1128/aem.55.5.1301-1304.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Foster T. J. The genetics and biochemistry of mercury resistance. Crit Rev Microbiol. 1987;15(2):117–140. doi: 10.3109/10408418709104455. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Furukawa K., Hayase N., Taira K., Tomizuka N. Molecular relationship of chromosomal genes encoding biphenyl/polychlorinated biphenyl catabolism: some soil bacteria possess a highly conserved bph operon. J Bacteriol. 1989 Oct;171(10):5467–5472. doi: 10.1128/jb.171.10.5467-5472.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gilbert M. P., Summers A. O. The distribution and divergence of DNA sequences related to the Tn21 and Tn501 mer operons. Plasmid. 1988 Sep;20(2):127–136. doi: 10.1016/0147-619x(88)90015-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Griffin H. G., Foster T. J., Silver S., Misra T. K. Cloning and DNA sequence of the mercuric- and organomercurial-resistance determinants of plasmid pDU1358. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1987 May;84(10):3112–3116. doi: 10.1073/pnas.84.10.3112. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Holben William E., Jansson Janet K., Chelm Barry K., Tiedje James M. DNA Probe Method for the Detection of Specific Microorganisms in the Soil Bacterial Community. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1988 Mar;54(3):703–711. doi: 10.1128/aem.54.3.703-711.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Khesin R. B., Karasyova E. V. Mercury-resistant plasmids in bacteria from a mercury and antimony deposit area. Mol Gen Genet. 1984;197(2):280–285. doi: 10.1007/BF00330974. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Laddaga R. A., Chu L., Misra T. K., Silver S. Nucleotide sequence and expression of the mercurial-resistance operon from Staphylococcus aureus plasmid pI258. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1987 Aug;84(15):5106–5110. doi: 10.1073/pnas.84.15.5106. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Lund P. A., Ford S. J., Brown N. L. Transcriptional regulation of the mercury-resistance genes of transposon Tn501. J Gen Microbiol. 1986 Feb;132(2):465–480. doi: 10.1099/00221287-132-2-465. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Mahler I., Levinson H. S., Wang Y., Halvorson H. O. Cadmium- and mercury-resistant Bacillus strains from a salt marsh and from Boston Harbor. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1986 Dec;52(6):1293–1298. doi: 10.1128/aem.52.6.1293-1298.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Misra T. K., Brown N. L., Fritzinger D. C., Pridmore R. D., Barnes W. M., Haberstroh L., Silver S. Mercuric ion-resistance operons of plasmid R100 and transposon Tn501: the beginning of the operon including the regulatory region and the first two structural genes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1984 Oct;81(19):5975–5979. doi: 10.1073/pnas.81.19.5975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Nakamura K., Sakamoto M., Uchiyama H., Yagi O. Organomercurial-volatilizing bacteria in the mercury-polluted sediment of Minamata Bay, Japan. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1990 Jan;56(1):304–305. doi: 10.1128/aem.56.1.304-305.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Nucifora G., Chu L., Silver S., Misra T. K. Mercury operon regulation by the merR gene of the organomercurial resistance system of plasmid pDU1358. J Bacteriol. 1989 Aug;171(8):4241–4247. doi: 10.1128/jb.171.8.4241-4247.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Radford A. J., Oliver J., Kelly W. J., Reanney D. C. Translocatable resistance to mercuric and phenylmercuric ions in soil bacteria. J Bacteriol. 1981 Sep;147(3):1110–1112. doi: 10.1128/jb.147.3.1110-1112.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Rochelle P. A., Fry J. C., Day M. J. Factors affecting conjugal transfer of plasmids encoding mercury resistance from pure cultures and mixed natural suspensions of epilithic bacteria. J Gen Microbiol. 1989 Feb;135(Pt 2):409–424. doi: 10.1099/00221287-135-2-409. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Roszak D. B., Colwell R. R. Survival strategies of bacteria in the natural environment. Microbiol Rev. 1987 Sep;51(3):365–379. doi: 10.1128/mr.51.3.365-379.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Sayler G. S., Shields M. S., Tedford E. T., Breen A., Hooper S. W., Sirotkin K. M., Davis J. W. Application of DNA-DNA colony hybridization to the detection of catabolic genotypes in environmental samples. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1985 May;49(5):1295–1303. doi: 10.1128/aem.49.5.1295-1303.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Steffan R. J., Atlas R. M. DNA amplification to enhance detection of genetically engineered bacteria in environmental samples. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1988 Sep;54(9):2185–2191. doi: 10.1128/aem.54.9.2185-2191.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Summers A. O. Organization, expression, and evolution of genes for mercury resistance. Annu Rev Microbiol. 1986;40:607–634. doi: 10.1146/annurev.mi.40.100186.003135. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Walia S., Khan A., Rosenthal N. Construction and applications of DNA probes for detection of polychlorinated biphenyl-degrading genotypes in toxic organic-contaminated soil environments. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1990 Jan;56(1):254–259. doi: 10.1128/aem.56.1.254-259.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Wang Y., Mahler I., Levinson H. S., Halvorson H. O. Cloning and expression in Escherichia coli of chromosomal mercury resistance genes from a Bacillus sp. J Bacteriol. 1987 Oct;169(10):4848–4851. doi: 10.1128/jb.169.10.4848-4851.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied and Environmental Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES