title: Lead resistant bacteria: lead resistance mechanisms, their applications in lead bioremediation and biomonitoring.
abstract: Lead (Pb) is non-bioessential, persistent and hazardous heavy metal pollutant of environmental concern. Bioremediation has become a potential alternative to the existing technologies for the removal and/or recovery of toxic lead from waste waters before releasing it into natural water bodies for environmental safety. To our best knowledge, this is a first review presenting different mechanisms employed by lead resistant bacteria to resist high levels of lead and their applications in cost effective and eco-friendly ways of lead bioremediation and biomonitoring. Various lead resistant mechanisms employed by lead resistant bacteria includes efflux mechanism, extracellular sequestration, biosorption, precipitation, alteration in cell morphology, enhanced siderophore production and intracellular lead bioaccumulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Goa University, Laboratory of Bacterial Genetics and Environmental Biotechnology, Taleigao Plateau, Goa 403206, India. Electronic address: milindnaik4@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Milind Mohan
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Naik
authors.forename: Santosh Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Dubey
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000379:methods; D001711:Biotransformation; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D007854:Lead / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D062065:Wastewater
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D007854:Lead; D062065:Wastewater
keywords: Bacteria; Biomonitoring; Bioremediation; Lead resistance