Is gastrointestinal microbiota relevant for endogenous mercury methylation in terrestrial animals?
The active role of gastrointestinal microbiota in mercury (Hg) methylation has been investigated in different terrestrial organisms from insects or annelids to rats and mammals, including the human beings. Some findings reveal the animal digestive tracts as new potential niches for Hg methylation especially in terrestrial invertebrates. However, contradictory results have been reported so far and there is still a long way to fully understand how important the MeHg production in this habitat could be, as well as its implications on the toxicity and biomagnification of MeHg within terrestrial food chains. It is important to know what has been studied in the past and discuss the previous results according to the new perspectives opened in this field. Therefore, the aim of this work is to review the present state of knowledge about the potential capability of gastrointestinal microbiota in Hg methylation with special emphasis in terrestrial animals and to propose new approaches profiting the new and powerful molecular and analytical tools.
Departamento de Química Analítica y Tecnología de Alimentos, Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 45071 Toledo, Spain. Electronic address: rosacarmen.rodriguez@uclm.es.
R C Rodríguez
RC
Martín-Doimeadios
Instituto de Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
R
R
Mateo
Departamento de Química Analítica y Tecnología de Alimentos, Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 45071 Toledo, Spain.
M
M
Jiménez-Moreno
D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome / Q000502:physiology*; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D008628:Mercury / Q000378:metabolism*; D008745:Methylation; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology
D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D008628:Mercury
Digestive tract; Mercury; Methylation; Microbiota; Terrestrial food chain