Binding of Germanium to Pseudomonas putida Cells

摘要

The binding of germanium to Pseudomonas putida ATCC 33015 was investigated by using whole intact cells grown in a medium supplemented with GeO2 and catechol or acetate. Electron-microscopic examination of the control and metal-loaded samples revealed that germanium was bound within the cell envelope. A certain number of small electron-dense deposits of the bound element were found in the cytoplasm when the cells were grown in the presence of GeO2 and catechol. The study of germanium distribution in cellular fractions revealed that catechol facilitated the intracellular accumulation of this element.