The diversity of mercury reductases among mercury‐resistant bacteria

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Abstract
Two immunologically non‐cross‐reactive types of mercury reductases were found among Gram‐negative and two among Gram‐positive mercury‐resistant environmental bacteria. Mercury reductases were further discriminated by ‘spur’ formation immunodiffusion tests. Immunologically indistinguishable mercury reductases were found among strains belonging to phylogenetically distant genera. This suggests a horizontal transfer of mercury resistance genes between these strains.