A new mercury-accumulating Mucor hiemalis strain EH8 from cold sulfidic spring water biofilms.

ABSTRACT: Here, we report about a unique aquatic fungus Mucor hiemalisEH8 that can remove toxic ionic mercury from water by intracellular accumulation and reduction into elemental mercury (Hg⁰ ). EH8 was isolated from a microbial biofilm grown in sulfidic-reducing spring water sourced at a Marching's site located downhill from hop cultivation areas with a history of mercury use. A thorough biodiversity survey and mercury-removal function analyses were undertaken in an area of about 200 km² in Bavaria (Germany) to find the key biofilm and microbe for mercury removal. After a systematic search using metal removal assays we identified Marching spring's biofilm out of 18 different sulfidic springs' biofilms as the only one that was capable of removing ionic Hg from water. EH8 was s

SUBMITTER: Hoque E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5061714 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature