Cadmium Resistance in Pseudomonas putida: Growth and Uptake of Cadmium

Abstract

Summary: A strain of Pseudomonas putida resistant to low concentrations of cadmium (0.25 mm-Cd2+) adapted to growth in the presence of 3 mm-Cd2+ in a chemically defined medium. This increased resistance was rapidly lost if Cd2+ was omitted from the growth medium. P. putida concentrated109Cd2+ actively. Mechanisms appeared to exist for expelling cadmium from cells during the lag and exponential phases and for continued growth in the presence of high intracellular Cd2+ concentrations. Cd2+-resistant cells adapted so as to control both the extent and rate of Cd2+ uptake when compared to control cells.