Microbial Response against Metal Toxicity

Abstract

Damage of microbial communities caused by metal toxicity in different domains of the environment is a growing challenge worldwide. The present chapter attempted to elucidate how microorganisms tackle and response against the metals toxicity. In response to metal toxicity, microorganisms exhibit a vast array of acclimatization, adaptation and resistant strategies at genetic, cellular and community levels to detoxify metals toxicity and survival. Microorganisms detoxify metals by various mechanisms (sequestration, inhibition of influx, efflux, accumulation, precipitation and chemical modification, repair, and metabolic by-pass) and showed resistance properties (by protein/enzyme synthesis) encoded by genes located in chromosome, plasmid or transposon. Thus, metal toxicity hampers the microbial metabolism, growth, activity and species diversity resulting in severe damage in environmental microbial community. Apart from detrimental consequences of metal toxicity, the novel metal- and antibiotic- resistant microorganisms could be used in environmental and human health benefits.