Cation Transport Alteration Associated with Plasmid-Determined Resistance to Cadmium in Staphylococcus aureus

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Plasmid-determined resistance to cadmium has only been found with plasmids from Staphylococcus aureus . Resistance to cadmium was associated with a lower accumulation of Cd 2+ ions by the plasmid-bearing resistant cells. Cadmium accumulation by susceptible cells was energy dependent and had those characteristics usually associated with a transmembrane active transport system. There was a specific interrelationship between cadmium accumulation and manganese accumulation and retention. Cd 2+ inhibited the uptake of Mn 2+ and accelerated the loss of intracellular Mn 2+ by the susceptible cells, but was without effect on Mn 2+ transport in resistant S. aureus cells. Under similar conditions, there was no differential effect of Cd 2+ on Mg 2+ , Zn 2+ , Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , or Rb + accumulation or exchange between the susceptible and the resistant strains.