metallidurans

Cupriavidus metallidurans, commonly referred to as metallidurans, is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium in the family Burkholderiaceae. It is best known for its exceptional resistance to heavy metals and is widely used as a model organism for studying bacterial metal resistance. The species was originally described as Ralstonia metallidurans and was reclassified into the genus Cupriavidus in 2001.

Genomic features include a chromosome and two megaplasmids, pMOL28 and pMOL30, which carry numerous metal-resistance genes. These determinants encode efflux pumps, metal-binding proteins, and detoxification enzymes that enable growth in environments containing zinc, cadmium, cobalt, nickel, copper, mercury, and other metals. Regulation of these operons allows rapid responses to changing metal concentrations.

Ecology and habitat: C. metallidurans is typically found in metal-rich environments such as industrially polluted soils and effluents, but it can also inhabit soils, sediments, and aqueous environments near metal-processing facilities. Its robust metal tolerance enables survival under conditions that inhibit many other microbes.

Applications and significance: Because of its metal resistance and capacity to transform, sequester, or immobilize metals, C. metallidurans has been explored for bioremediation and bio-metallurgy. Research focuses on understanding the regulatory networks and cellular mechanisms underlying metal homeostasis, which has implications for remediation strategies and resource recovery from waste streams.

Strains and research use: The CH34 strain is a widely studied reference strain demonstrating broad-spectrum metal resistance and is frequently used to investigate metal-detoxification pathways and the biology of metal tolerance in this species.