Construction of recombinant mercury resistant Acidithiobacillus caldus

A mercury-resistant plasmid of pTMJ212 which was able to shuttle between Acidithiobacillus caldus and Escherichia coli was constructed by inserting the mercury resistant determinants, the mer operon of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, into the IncQ plasmid of pJRD215. pTMJ212 was transferred from Escherichia coli into Acidithiobacillus caldus through conjugation. Furthermore, pTMJ212 was transferred back from Acidithiobacillus caldus into Escherichia coli, thereby confirming the initial transfer of pTMJ212 from Escherichia coli to Acidithiobacillus caldus. Compared to the control, the cell growth of the recombinant Acidithiobacillus caldus increased markedly under mercury (Hg(2+)) stress especially at Hg(2+) concentrations ranging from 2.0 to 4.5 μg/ml.