Bioinformatic Analysis of Cyanobacterial Mercuric Resistance Related Genes and Identification of Synechococcus sp. IU 625 Putative Mercuric Resistance Genes

摘要

Due to high levels of heavy metal pollution in the environment, there has always been a high interest in organisms that have developed resistance to heavy metals. Extensive work has been done with respect to mechanisms of resistance to heavy metals in a wide array of microorganisms. However, mechanisms of resistance are yet to be explored in some microorganism such as cyanobacteria Synechococcus sp. IU 625. This microorganism has been known to show levels of resistance to Cu~(2+), Hg~(2+), and Zn~(2+). Understanding the mercuric resistance mechanism in this microorganism would enhance the development of bioremediation systems for toxic waste cleanup. In this study, genomic and proteomics analysis of currently identified mercuric resistance genes in prokaryotes were carried out to determine their relationship to putative mercuric resistant genes in S. IU 625. Primers for genes encoding putative mercuric resistance were designed, amplified and attempted identified those genes from S. IU 625.