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Plasmid-Mediated Heavy Metal Resistances

Plasmid-Mediated Heavy Metal Resistances Many bacterial strains contain genetic determinants of resistances to heavy metals such as Hg2+ (and organomercurials), Ag+ , AsOi, AsO�-, Be+ , BO�-, Cd2+ , C02+ , crO�-, Cu2 + , Ni2+ , Pb3+ , Sb2+ , TeO�-, TI+, Zn2+, and undoubtedly others (91, 100, 106). These resistance determinants are often found on plasmids and transposons (94, 100, 106), which facilitates their analysis by molecular genetic techniques. In the frequent absence of any obvious source of direct selection, these resistances occur with surprisingly 0066-4227/88/1001-0717 $02.00 SILVER & MISRA high frequencies. Selective agents in hospitals and other environments are only beginning to be examined. It has been suggested that heavy metal resistances may have been selected in earlier times, and that they are merely carried along today for a free ride with selection for antibiotic resistances. We doubt that there is such a thing as a free ride as far as these determinants are concerned. For example, in Tokyo in the late 1970s both heavy metal resistances and antibiotic resistances were found with high frequencies in Escherichia coli isolated from hospital patients, whereas heavy metal resist­ ance plasmids without antibiotic resistance determinants were found in E. coli from an http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Annual Review of Microbiology Annual Reviews

Plasmid-Mediated Heavy Metal Resistances

Annual Review of Microbiology , Volume 42 (1) – Oct 1, 1988

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References (39)

Publisher
Annual Reviews
Copyright
Copyright 1988 Annual Reviews. All rights reserved
Subject
Review Articles
ISSN
0066-4227
eISSN
1545-3251
DOI
10.1146/annurev.mi.42.100188.003441
pmid
3060006
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Many bacterial strains contain genetic determinants of resistances to heavy metals such as Hg2+ (and organomercurials), Ag+ , AsOi, AsO�-, Be+ , BO�-, Cd2+ , C02+ , crO�-, Cu2 + , Ni2+ , Pb3+ , Sb2+ , TeO�-, TI+, Zn2+, and undoubtedly others (91, 100, 106). These resistance determinants are often found on plasmids and transposons (94, 100, 106), which facilitates their analysis by molecular genetic techniques. In the frequent absence of any obvious source of direct selection, these resistances occur with surprisingly 0066-4227/88/1001-0717 $02.00 SILVER & MISRA high frequencies. Selective agents in hospitals and other environments are only beginning to be examined. It has been suggested that heavy metal resistances may have been selected in earlier times, and that they are merely carried along today for a free ride with selection for antibiotic resistances. We doubt that there is such a thing as a free ride as far as these determinants are concerned. For example, in Tokyo in the late 1970s both heavy metal resistances and antibiotic resistances were found with high frequencies in Escherichia coli isolated from hospital patients, whereas heavy metal resist­ ance plasmids without antibiotic resistance determinants were found in E. coli from an

Journal

Annual Review of MicrobiologyAnnual Reviews

Published: Oct 1, 1988

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