Metal Toxicity in Microorganism

Abstract

An awful consequence of metal contamination in environment is one of the global problems posing severe hazardous and toxic impacts in microorganisms. The objective of the present chapter is to elucidate how metals cause toxicity at biochemical and molecular levels in microorganisms. The excess concentration of metals is responsible for causing various toxicity reactions in microbial cell, such as, over production of reactive oxygen species; protein and enzyme dysfunction, destruction of thiol and iron-sulfide cluster, metal substitution and inhibition of nutrient assimilation; lipid peroxidation; and DNA damage. Consequently, toxicity causes mutagenicity effects and/or cell death that lead to immeasurable damage in microorganisms and microbial community. The biochemical and molecular mechanisms of metal toxicity may be helpful to depth metal toxicity study in microbes and other organisms for controlling and treating the metal toxicity in further. Moreover, metal-resistant microbes have potential significance in environmental and human health perspectives.