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Interactive regulation of dissolved copper toxicity by an estuarine microbial community
Author(s) -
Dryden Christina L.,
Gordon Andrew S.,
Donat John R.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.2004.49.4.1115
Subject(s) - copper , bioavailability , environmental chemistry , copper toxicity , chelation , estuary , chemistry , ligand (biochemistry) , extracellular polymeric substance , extracellular , microbial population biology , inorganic chemistry , ecology , bacteria , biology , biochemistry , organic chemistry , receptor , biofilm , bioinformatics , genetics
Cultured marine microorganisms under copper stress produce extracellular compounds having a high affinity for copper (copper‐complexing ligands). These ligands are similar in binding strength to those found in natural waters, but few studies have examined the relationship between copper, copper‐complexing ligand concentrations, and natural microbial populations. A series of in situ experiments in the Elizabeth River, Virginia, revealed that an intact estuarine microbial community responded to copper stress by production of extracellular, high‐affinity copper complexing ligands. The rate of ligand production was dependent on copper concentration and resulted in a reduction of the concentration of free cupric ions, Cu 2+ , by more than three orders of magnitude during a 2‐week period in one experiment. We believe that this interactive response to copper stress represents a feedback system through which microbial communities can potentially buffer dissolved Cu 2+ ion concentrations, thereby regulating copper bioavailability and toxicity.