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Metal Accumulation in Cell Wall: A Possible Mechanism of Cadmium Resistance by Pseudomonas stutzeri

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Abstract

A heavy metal resistant strain, Pseudomonas stutzeri (MTCC 101) has been investigated for its cadmium tolerance properties along with its antibiotic resistance. The organism could tolerate cadmium up to 1,200 μg/mL with LD50 value 700 μg/mL. The gene(s) involved in such high resistance appear(s) to be induced in the presence of the metal. Increasing concentrations of cadmium successively prolonged the lag phase of growth with delayed attainment of the stationary phase. Transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope–energy dispersive analysis of X-ray spectroscope analysis showed cadmium adsorption on the bacterial surface with morphological distortion. Atomic absorption spectrometric study corroborated this data, showing highest cadmium accumulation in the cell wall fraction of the bacteria. Additionally, the cell wall fraction showed synthesis of new proteins when grown under metal stress.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support from Barrackpore Rastraguru Surendranath College, West Bengal, India, Grant # 157-BT(Estt.)/RD-11/10, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), West Bengal, India and technical support from DR. B. Mondal of Bidhan Chandra Krishi Vidyalaya, West Bengal, India, DR. W. Ghosh of Bose Institute, West Bengal, India and P. Chowdhury of Barrackpore Rastraguru Surendranath College have been greatly acknowledged. The authors are also thankful to Dr. M.K. Ghosh, CSIR-IICB, Kolkata and Prof. A.K. Paul of University of Calcutta for his constant support and guidance during the compilation of the work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Signal Transduction in Cancer and Stem Cell Laboratory, Division of Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorder, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (CSIR-IICB), 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata, 700 032, India

    S. Deb & S. F. Ahmed

  2. Department of Microbiology, Barrackpore Rastraguru Surendranath College, 6 Riverside Road and 85 Middle Road, Barrackpore, Kolkata, 700 120, India

    S. Deb & M. Basu

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  1. S. Deb
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  2. S. F. Ahmed
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Correspondence to M. Basu.

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Deb, S., Ahmed, S.F. & Basu, M. Metal Accumulation in Cell Wall: A Possible Mechanism of Cadmium Resistance by Pseudomonas stutzeri . Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 90, 323–328 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-012-0933-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-012-0933-z

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