Bacterial Gene Sheds Light on Methylation of Mercury

A recent discovery by researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory may have serious implications into the understanding of methylmercury production. a toxin to humans found in the environment. The researchers have sequenced the genome of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans, a bacteria that is capable of mercury methylation. They are currently in the process of comparing the genome to the known genomes of closely related bacteria who cannot methylate mercury in hopes of identifying the gene or genes responsible for this methylating process. Since there is not a great deal known about the bioprocess that methylates mercury that we introduce into the environment, this is a beneficial discovery. Although since the Minamata Bay poisoning we have developed guidelines and other precautions to prevent more harm, I do hope to see this lead to more research into how to better control levels of methylmercury in the environment.