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Updated: Nov 20, 2025

Bioprospecting of Extremophilic Microorganisms to Address Environmental Pollution
Published on: December 30, 2021
Heavy-metal resistance mechanisms developed by bacteria from Lerma-Chapala basin
Ivan Arroyo-Herrera1, Brenda Román-Ponce1,2,3, Ana Laura Reséndiz-Martínez1
1Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas., Prolongación Carpio y Plan de Ayala S/N, Col. Santo Tomás. Alcaldía. Miguel Hidalgo, C.P. 11340, México city, Ciudad de México, México.
Abstract:
Heavy-metal (HM) contamination is a huge environmental problem in many countries including Mexico. Currently, microorganisms with multiple heavy-metal resistance and/or plant-promoting characteristics have been widely used for bioremediation of HM-contaminated soils. The aim of the study was isolated bacteria with multiple heavy-metal resistance and to determinate the resistance mechanism developed by these organisms. A total of 138 aerobic bacteria were isolated from soil and sediments surrounding the Lerma-Chapala basin located in the boundary of the States of Michoacán and Jalisco states of Mexico. One hundred and eight strains showed at least 1 plant growth-promoting features. The Lerma-Chapala basin bacteria were also resistant to high concentrations of HMs including the metalloid arsenic. Sequence analysis of 16S RNA genes reveled that these bacteria were mainly affiliated to the phyla Proteobacteria (38%), Firmicutes (31%) and Actinobacteria (25%), covering 21 genera with Bacillus as the most abundant one. Among them, at least 27 putative novel species were detected in the genera Acinetobacter, Arthrobacter, Bacillus, Agrobacterium, Dyadobacter, Enterobacter, Exiguobacterium, Kluyvera, Micrococcus, Microbacterium and Psychrobacter. In addition, these bacteria developed various heavy-metal-resistance mechanisms, such as biosorption/bioaccumulation, immobilization and detoxification. Therefore, the bacteria isolated from soils and sediments of Lerma-Chapala basin could be used in bioremediation strategies.
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