| Numéro |
J. Phys. IV France
Volume 107, May 2003
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 393 - 396 | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/jp4:20030324 | |
J. Phys. IV France 107 (2003) 393
DOI: 10.1051/jp4:20030324
Monitoring bacterial communities adaptation to mercury contamination in estuarine sediments maintained in slurries
R. Duran1, V. Menuet1, M. Monperrus2, R. Guyoneaud1, M.S. Goni1, E. Tessier2, D. Amouroux2, O.F.X. Donard2 and P. Caumette11 Laboratoire d'Écologie Moléculaire, Université de Pau, BP. 1155, 64013 Pau cedex, France
2 Laboratoire de Chimie Bio-Inorganique et Environnement, UMR 5034 du CNRS, Université de Pau, 64013 Pau cedex, France
Abstract
Adour sediments were incubated in slurries and polluted with inorganic mercury (HgC1
2) to follow
the adaptation of microbial communities to mercury. Mercury methylation was observed only in slurries
maintained under anoxic conditions. Temporal variation of microbial community structure was identified
using molecular approaches The T-RFLP method based on the 16S ribosomal RNA encoding gene analysis
demonstrated that microbial community structure was strongly dependent of mercury methylation potential.
The analysis based on the functional mer genes involved in mercury resistance mechanisms revealed the
presence of well adapted bacterial populations in Adour sediments. Furthermore significant modifications of
the distribution of mer genes during incubation time were observed indicating that mercury addition
influenced also the resistant populations.
© EDP Sciences 2003