HEAVY-METAL BINDING BACTERIA AND THEIR USE IN DETOXIFICATION OF HEAVY METAL-CONTAMINATED MEDIA

摘要

The heavy metal-binding bacteria is a bacterium adapted to the soil and having naturally or genetically engineered resistance to heavy metals. Said bacteria have been modified to express on their surface at least one protein or a peptide sequence capable of binding one or more heavy metals. In a special embodiment, the bacteria adapted to the soil and naturally resistant to heavy metals is Ralstonia eutropha, while the protein that is capable of binding one or more heavy metals is mouse metallothionein. Said bacteria are useful for recovering a solid or liquid medium contaminated with heavy metals.