Cupriavidus metallidurans explained

Cupriavidus metallidurans is a non-spore-forming, Gram-negative bacterium which is adapted to survive several forms of heavy metal stress.^{[1] [2] [3]}

As a model and industrial system

Cupriavidus metallidurans is a bacterial species that belongs to the same family as Ralstonia solanacearum, a plant pathogen.^[4]

This species is of ecological and industrial importance, as its relatives dominate mesophilic environments contaminated with heavy metals.^[5] C. metallidurans is used in the industrial sector for both heavy metal remediation and sensing.

This aerobic chemolithoautotroph is capable of growing in a mineral salts environment with H₂, O₂, and CO₂ without an organic carbon source.^[6] Its energy-providing subsystem is composed of only the hydrogenase, the respiratory chain, and the F1F0-ATPase, which remain separate from the anabolic subsystems.

C. metallidurans can also degrade xenobiotics in conditions with high levels of heavy metals.^[7]

Strain CH34 has adapted to these harsh conditions through multiple heavy-metal resistance systems, encoded by the two indigenous megaplasmids, pMOL28 and pMOL30, on its chromosome(s).^[8]

Ecology

C. metallidurans plays a vital role, together with Delftia acidovorans, in the formation of gold nuggets. It precipitates metallic gold from a solution of gold(III) chloride, a compound highly toxic to most other microorganisms.^{[9] [10] [11]}

As a pathogen

A case of a 74 year old man infected with Cupriavidus metallidurans has been documented,^[12] possibly raising concerns about the safety of using the bacteria for industrial purposes.

External links

• Article at Live Science
• Type strain of Cupriavidus metallidurans at BacDive - the Bacterial Diversity Metadatabase

Notes and References

1. 10.1007/s002530051457. Nies. DH. 1999. Microbial heavy metal resistance.. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 51. 730–750. 10422221. 6. 6675586.
2. 10.1007/s007920050140. Nies. DH. 2000. Heavy metal resistant bacteria as extremophiles: molecular physiology and biotechnological use of Ralstonia spec. CH34. Extremophiles. 4. 77–82. 10805561. 2. 11156112.
3. Ryan. Michael P.. Adley. Catherine C.. 2011-09-01. Specific PCR to identify the heavy-metal-resistant bacterium Cupriavidus metallidurans. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology. en. 38. 9. 1613–1615. 10.1007/s10295-011-1011-y. 21720772. 33552248. 1476-5535.
4. Salanoubat M.. 2002. Genome sequence of the plant pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum. Nature. 415. 497–502. 11823852. 6871. 10.1038/415497a. etal. free.
5. 10.1007/BF01569896. Diels. L.. Q. Dong . D. van der Lelie . W. Baeyens . M. Mergeay . 1995. The czc operon of Alcaligenes eutrophus CH34: from resistance mechanism to the removal of heavy metals. Journal of Industrial Microbiology. 14. 142–153. 7766206. 2. 29272445. free.
6. Mergeay. M. . D. Nies . H.G. Schlegel . J. Gerits . P. Charles . F. van Gijsegem. 1985. Alcaligenes eutrophus CH34 is a facultative chemolithotroph with plasmid-bound resistance to heavy metals. Journal of Bacteriology. 162. 328–334. 3884593. 1. 10.1128/JB.162.1.328-334.1985 . 218993.
7. Springael. D. . L. Diels . L. Hooyberghs . S. Kreps . M. Mergeay. 1993. Construction and characterization of heavy metal resistant haloaromatic-degrading Alcaligenes eutrophus strains. Appl Environ Microbiol. 59. 334–339. 8439161. 1. 10.1128/AEM.59.1.334-339.1993 . 202101.
8. Monchy. S. . M.A. Benotmane . P. Janssen . T. Vallaeys . S. Taghavi . D. van der Lelie . M. Mergeay. Plasmids pMOL28 and pMOL30 of Cupriavidus metallidurans are specialized in the maximal viable response to heavy metals. Journal of Bacteriology. 189. 7417–7425. October 2007. 17675385. 20. 10.1128/JB.00375-07. 2168447.
9. Reith. Frank. Stephen L. Rogers . D. C. McPhail . Daryl Webb . Biomineralization of Gold: Biofilms on Bacterioform Gold. Science. 313. July 14, 2006 . 233–236. 16840703. 10.1126/science.1125878. 5784. 2006Sci...313..233R. 32848104. 1885/28682. free.
10. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121002150031.htm Superman-Strength Bacteria Produce 24-Karat Gold
11. http://theweek.com/article/index/234341/the-bacteria-that-turns-toxic-chemicals-into-pure-gold The bacteria that turns toxic chemicals into pure gold
12. Langevin . Stéphanie . Vincelette . Jean . Bekal . Sadjia . Gaudreau . Christiane . February 2011 . First Case of Invasive Human Infection Caused by Cupriavidus metallidurans . Journal of Clinical Microbiology . 49 . 2 . 744–745 . 10.1128/JCM.01947-10 . 0095-1137 . 3043494 . 21106795.