Degradation of methylmercury by selenium.
When methylmercury was incubated in the presence of selenite and reduced glutathione (GSH), the mercury which was extracted into benzene under acidic condition decreased gradually with the elapse of time. This decrease was due to the cleavage of mercury-carbon bond of methylmercury. The reaction did not proceed when selenite or GSH was singly added to the reaction mixture. L-Cysteine, 2-mercaptoethanol and sodium sulfide in place of GSH also were effective for decomposition of methylmercury in combination with selenite, but oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and L-cystine were not. This suggests that reduction of selenite is needed for the degradation of methylmercury. Thus, the effect of reduced metabolites of selenite produced by GSH was investigated. Glutathione selenotrisulfide (GSSeSG) required GSH for the degradation of methylmercury, whereas H2Se possessed a strong activity even in the absence of GSH. This may indicate that H2Se is involved directly in the conversion of methylmercury to inorganic mercury. This phenomenon found in in vitro experiments is discussed in relation to the biotransformation of methylmercury.
D000818:Animals; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001711:Biotransformation; D005978:Glutathione / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D020887:Selenious Acid; D012643:Selenium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology
D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D020887:Selenious Acid; D005978:Glutathione; D012643:Selenium; C004925:methylmercuric chloride