Patterns of heavy metal resistance in marine Pseudomonas MR1

Pseudomonas strain MR1 isolated from the coastal waters of Bay of Bengal was found to resist Hg, As, Cd, Cu, Zn and Pb. It efficiently detoxified both organic and inorganic mercuric compounds to non toxic metallic mercury by an inducible enzyme, mercuric reductase. Its resistance to arsenic might be due to energy-dependent arsenate efflux system. Cadmium was detected intracellularly and in the surrounding medium. The bacterium accumulated copper and lead intracellularly.