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Horizontal Transfer of Mercury Resistance Genes in Environmental Bacterial Populations

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Abstract

The results of studying the horizontal transfer of mercury resistance determinants in environmental bacterial populations are reviewed. Identical or highly homologous mercury resistance (mer) operons and transposons were found in bacteria of different taxonomic groups from geographically distant regions. Recombinant mer operons and transposons were revealed. The data suggest high frequencies of horizontal transfer and of recombination for mercury resistance determinants. The mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer were elucidated in Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. New transposons were found and analyzed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 123182, Russia

    S. Z. Mindlin, I. A. Bass, E. S. Bogdanova, Zh. M. Gorlenko, E. S. Kalyaeva, M. A. Petrova & V. G. Nikiforov

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  1. S. Z. Mindlin
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  2. I. A. Bass
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  3. E. S. Bogdanova
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Mindlin, S.Z., Bass, I.A., Bogdanova, E.S. et al. Horizontal Transfer of Mercury Resistance Genes in Environmental Bacterial Populations. Molecular Biology 36, 160–170 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015353402657

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