Effect of lead on metallothionein concentration in leadresistant bacteria <i>Bacillus cereus</i> isolated from industrial effluent

Abstract

Metallothioneins (MTs) are cysteine-rich metal-binding proteins found in a wide variety of organisms including bacteria, fungi as well as all eukaryotic plant and animal species. MTs bind essential and nonessential heavy metals. MTs production was evaluated by a simple spectrophotometry methodology. The study elucidated that the metallothionein concentration in Bacillus cereus treated with different concentrations of lead increased with increasing lead concentration. The protein samples from B.cereus treated with different concentrations of lead were isolated and electrophoresed on SDS-PAGE and 2-D gels. The study of gels revealed that a thick protein band appeared around 14.3KD in case of B. cereus treated with lead unlike the control samples.

Key words: Bacillus cereus, lead, metallothionein, industrial effluent.