Cloning and Characterization of a mer Operon From Natural Aquatic Bacteria Author: Palmer, Matt Date published: 2001 |
Abstract | Mercury is a highly toxic element and has caused numerous cases of human toxicity throughout history. Methylmercury is the most toxic form of mercury and bioaccumulates in fish consumed by humans. Mercury resistant bacteria exist in nature that have the ability to detoxify methylmercury by a two-enzyme system encoded on the mer operon. Currently only mer operons cloned from clinical isolates are available which may not be relevant to molecular microbial ecology studies performed in aquatic environments. The purpose of this study is to clone a mer operon from natural aquatic bacteria. Ten strains of bacteria resistant to at least 2 ppm methylmercury were isolated from aquatic habitats. Genomic libraries were created in Escherichia coli from four of these strains. One clone was obtained from strain LO13 that conferred mercury resistance. The clone has a 10.5 kb fragment that presumably contains a mer operon. A restriction map was created and the fragment was sub-cloned and sequenced. The DNA sequences were compared to known sequences on the NCBI database using a “blastx” protein search. Once characterized this mer operon will be more relevant for use in bioremediation and gene expression studies in aquatic environments. |
Alternative title | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Journal of Undergraduate Research |
UW-La Crosse JUR | |
Author | Palmer, Matt |
Contributor | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Undergraduate Research Program |
Owner | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse |
Sponsor | Winfrey, Mike |
Type of resource | text |
Genre | journal |
Genre authority | marcgt |
Publisher name | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse |
Place of publication | La Crosse, Wisconsin |
Date published | 2001 |
Date captured | 2016-12-06 |
Language | eng |
Width | 5.99 |
Height | 9.0 |
Subject topic | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse -- Students -- Research -- Periodicals Authority: LCSH |
Subject topic | College students -- Research -- United States -- Periodicals Authority: LCSH |
Subject topic | Journals Authority: LCSH |
Subject topic | Microbiology Authority: LCSH |
Note | Published as part of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 4 (2001) |
Use and reproduction restrictions | This material may be protected by copyright law (e.g., Title 17, US Code). For more information about the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Murphy Library's copyright, fair-use, and permissions policies, please see https://digitalcollections.uwlax.edu/. |
Collection | UWL Journal of Undergraduate Research |
ID | 3c1bba49-8c02-45b4-b439-dac96b962476/wlacu000/00000013/00000114 |
Stock number | WU76.U5 J6 |