Volatilization of metal mercury from Organomercurials by highly mercury-resistant Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans MON-1

Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2010;74(5):1007-12. doi: 10.1271/bbb.90888. Epub 2010 May 7.

Abstract

The iron-oxidizing bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans MON-1 is highly resistant not only to mercuric chloride (HgCl(2)) but also to organomercurials such as methylmercury chloride (MMC). We have found that cytochrome c oxidase, purified from strain MON-1, reduces Hg(2+) to volatilizable metal mercury (Hg(0)) with reduced mammalian cytochrome c or Fe(2+) as an electron donor. In this study we found that cytochrome c oxidase can volatilize Hg(0) from MMC as well as from Hg(2+) with reduced mammalian cytochrome c or c-type cytochrome purified from strain MON-1 as an electron donor. We also found that MMC-Hg(0) volatilization activity is present in the MON-1 plasma membrane but not in the cytosol. These activities were strongly inhibited by sodium cyanide (NaCN) and the antibody produced against purified MON-1 cytochrome c oxidase. This is the first report to indicate that cytochrome c oxidase is involved in the degradation of organomercurials in microorganisms.

MeSH terms

  • Acidithiobacillus / cytology
  • Acidithiobacillus / drug effects*
  • Acidithiobacillus / enzymology
  • Acidithiobacillus / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Biodegradation, Environmental
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial*
  • Electron Transport / drug effects
  • Electron Transport Complex IV / isolation & purification
  • Electron Transport Complex IV / metabolism
  • Mercuric Chloride / metabolism
  • Mercury / chemistry*
  • Mercury / isolation & purification
  • Mercury / metabolism*
  • Mercury / toxicity
  • Methylmercury Compounds / metabolism
  • Organomercury Compounds / metabolism*
  • Sodium Cyanide / pharmacology
  • Volatilization

Substances

  • Methylmercury Compounds
  • Organomercury Compounds
  • Mercuric Chloride
  • Electron Transport Complex IV
  • Mercury
  • Sodium Cyanide
  • methylmercuric chloride