Investigation of mercury tolerance in Chromohalobacter israelensis DSM 6768T and Halomonas zincidurans B6T by comparative genomics with Halomonas xinjiangensis TRM 0175T

Abstract

Chromohalobacter israelensis DSM 6768T, Halomonas zincidurans B6T, and Halomonas xinjiangensis TRM 0175T are three phylogenetically close strains belonging to the class Gammaproteobacteria. Both strains DSM 6768T and B6T can grow on plate containing 0.5mM HgCl2. Strain TRM 0175T could not grow on plates containing 0.1mM or more HgCl2. Here we report the draft genomes of strains DSM 6768T and TRM 0175T for comparative genomic analysis. Gene cluster with putative function in mercury resistance in strain DSM 6768T includes a mercuric ion reductase, whose homologues distribute among several marine microbes. Strain B6T, which was isolated from the Atlantic Ocean, has one more gene cluster with putative function in mercury resistance than strain DSM 6768T. This study will enhance our understanding of the mercury tolerance and further investigation in marine microbes.