A specific type of bacteria called Arthrobacter has genes that help it break down mercury by first cleaving methylmercury and then reducing it to a less toxic form.
Scientific Claim
Arthrobacter sp. H-02-3 contains a complete mer operon with merA and merB genes that facilitate mercury detoxification through a two-step pathway.
Source Excerpt
“Specifically, we confirmed the presence of a complete mer operon comprising of merA (mercuric reductase), merB (organomercurial lyase), and associated regulatory genes in Arthrobacter sp. H-02–3. In this study, functional analysis suggested a two-step detoxification pathway wherein merB cleaves methylmercury (MeHg) to Hg2⁺, which is subsequently reduced to volatile Hg⁰ by merA, thereby mitigating toxicity in situ.”
Evidence from Studies
Supporting Studies
A survey of bacterial and fungal community structure and functions in two long-term metalliferous soil habitats
The study identified this specific strain and its genetic makeup through genomic analysis, confirming the presence of mer operon genes and describing their proposed detoxification pathway.