Abstract
A strain of Penicillium which produced dimethylselenide from inorganic selenium compounds was isolated from raw sewage. Sulfate and methionine enhanced growth of the fungus and its production of dimethylselenide in media containing selenite. In solutions containing selenate, methionine inhibited dimethylselenide formation while stimulating proliferation of the fungus. Dimethylselenide was also generated from inorganic selenide. Alkylation did not appear to be a significant mechanism of selenium detoxication by this organism. Dimethyltelluride was also produced by the organism from several tellurium compounds, but this product was synthesized only in the presence of both tellurium and selenium. The yields of dimethylselenide and dimethyltelluride varied with the relative concentrations of selenium and tellurium in the medium.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Byard J. L. Trimethyl selenide. A urinary metabolite of selenite. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1969 Mar;130(1):556–560. doi: 10.1016/0003-9861(69)90070-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- FELS I. G., CHELDELIN V. H. Selenate inhibition studies. IV. Biochemical basis of selenate toxicity in yeast. J Biol Chem. 1950 Aug;185(2):803–811. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Jensen S., Jernelöv A. Biological methylation of mercury in aquatic organisms. Nature. 1969 Aug 16;223(5207):753–754. doi: 10.1038/223753a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- McCONNELL K. P., PORTMAN O. W. Excretion of dimethyl selenide by the rat. J Biol Chem. 1952 Mar;195(1):277–282. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Palmer I. S., Gunsalus R. P., Halverson A. W., Olson O. E. Trimethylselenonium ion as a general excretory product from selenium metabolism in the rat. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1970 May 12;208(2):260–266. doi: 10.1016/0304-4165(70)90244-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Schroeder H. A., Frost D. V., Balassa J. J. Essential trace metals in man: selenium. J Chronic Dis. 1970 Oct;23(4):227–243. doi: 10.1016/0021-9681(70)90003-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wood J. M., Kennedy F. S., Rosen C. G. Synthesis of methyl-mercury compounds by extracts of a methanogenic bacterium. Nature. 1968 Oct 12;220(5163):173–174. doi: 10.1038/220173a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]