By Researchers at the Inter American University of Puerto Rico have developed bacteria from mouse genes that can absorb mercury, potentially a new weapon in the quest to clean up mercury spills from the environment. A team of scientists led by Oscar N. Ruizinserted two mercury-friendly genes into common E. coli intestinal germs. The genes contained with a protein called metallothionein or an enzyme called polyphosphate kinase. Scientists then immersed the bacteria in a solution with extremely high concentrations of mercury. Both strains of bacteria flourished in mercury levels more than 20 times the does of mercury that would quickly kill normal strains of E. coli. Not only that, but chemical analysis indicated that the engineered bacteria had absorbed more than 80 percent of the mercury within a five-day timeframe. The study appears in the latest issue of the journal, BMC Technology.
Currently, thousands of tons of mercury are released by industry every year, getting into the food chain and many species of fish as a toxin. Quoted in a news release published by the Indo-Asian News Service (IANS), Ruiz said, “This method not only would allow us to clean up mercury spills from the environment, but the high accumulation of mercury within the transgenic bacteria also provides the possibility of recycling it for further industrial applications.”
Some environmentalists strongly oppose genetically modified organisms (GMOs), concerned that their DNA could mingle with other germs, creating a threat to human health or biodiversity. Ruiz has stated that the study used harmless bacteria that posed no environmental threat. And, as with any new GMO, the new bacteria must be thoroughly vetted by U.S. watchdog groups.
