Induced Adaptation as a Means of Sustained Mercury Tolerance in Bacillus subtilis

Heavy metals are known to possess toxic effect against prokaryotes as well as eukaryotes. Bacillus subtilis, a gram-positive bacterium, finds several useful applications such as biofertilization and antibiosis, but such applications get compromised due to limited bacterial survival during heavy meta...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India. Section B: Biological sciences India. Section B: Biological sciences, 2021-09, Vol.91 (3), p.727-735
Main Authors: Singh, Pratika, Khan, Azmi, Priya, Akansha, Kant, Roshni, Sarkar, Abhijit, Roy, Manish, Srivastava, Amrita
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation
Antibiosis
Bacillus subtilis
Behavioral Sciences
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Catalase
Cell surface
Enzymatic activity
Gel electrophoresis
Gram-positive bacteria
Heavy metals
Life Sciences
Malondialdehyde
Mercury
Nucleic Acid Chemistry
Plant Biochemistry
Prokaryotes
Research Article
Sodium lauryl sulfate
Strains (organisms)
Superoxide dismutase
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Summary:Heavy metals are known to possess toxic effect against prokaryotes as well as eukaryotes. Bacillus subtilis, a gram-positive bacterium, finds several useful applications such as biofertilization and antibiosis, but such applications get compromised due to limited bacterial survival during heavy metal stress. In the present study, experimental measures for natural adaptation of these bacteria to high Hg 2+ concentration were performed by serially treating them with lower to higher Hg 2+ concentration. Also, same adaptive ability and sustained growth were observed at high Hg 2+ concentration after a year of induction thereby confirming adaptive success. Analysis of catalase and superoxide dismutase activity showed increased enzymatic activity as a means of survival under metal stress. Proteomic profiling was observed by SDS-PAGE indicating expression of differential proteins in adapted strains. Less malondialdehyde content in adapted strains showed restoration of membrane integrity which was also evident in SEM analysis showing smoother cell surface. Such successful adaptation induced in Bacillus subtilis paves way for agricultural and environmental applications of such strains in metal-stressed regions.
ISSN:0369-8211
2250-1746
DOI:10.1007/s40011-021-01281-8