Dissection Of A Novel Metal Resistance Mechanism In Cupriavidus metallidurans

Md Muntasir Ali, Kristel Mijnendonckx, Natalie Leys, Pieter Monsieurs, Daniel Charlier, Rob Van Houdt

Research output: Unpublished contribution to conferencePoster

Abstract

Background:Cupriavidus metallidurans strains contain many genes involved in the resistance and processing of heavy metals, which are very well studied and characterized. In addition, studies at SCK•CEN underscored the rapid evolution of C. metallidurans strains towards significantly increased metal resistance, particularly for silver. Objective:Our objective is to understand the molecular mechanisms of this increased resistance to silver. Methods:C. metallidurans strains including type strain CH34, its plasmidless derivative AE104 and NA4, isolated from a silver-sanitized drinking water system, were grown in toxic levels of silver to obtain silver-resistant mutants. The latter were characterized in detail via re-sequencing, oligonucleotide microarrays, and deletion and complementation analyses.Conclusions:Our data indicate that C. metallidurans is able to adapt rapidly to toxic silver concentrations. Silver-resistant mutants were obtained from different strains, even from strains cured from the main mega-plasmid encoded metal resistance determinants, indicating that the canonical efflux mechanisms are not involved. Whole-genome expression profiling in non-selective growth conditions showed that only a few genes were commonly up-regulated in all obtained silver-resistant mutants. In addition, deletion mutants and plasmid-based complementation confirmed that a two-component regulatory system and a gene coding for a small periplasmic protein play a central role. These results represent a previously uncharacterized molecular mechanism for metal/silver resistance.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - 9 Jul 2017
EventFEMS 2017: 7th Congress of European Microbiologists - Feria Valencia – Convention & Exhibition Centre, Valencia, Spain
Duration: 9 Jul 201713 Jul 2017
Conference number: 7
https://fems-microbiology2017.kenes.com/

Conference

ConferenceFEMS 2017: 7th Congress of European Microbiologists
Country/TerritorySpain
CityValencia
Period9/07/1713/07/17
Internet address

Keywords

  • Cupriavidus metallidurans
  • Metal Resistance
  • Two component system

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