C. Hagnere et C. Harf, SYMBIOTIC INTERACTIONS BETWEEN FREE-LIVING AMEBA AND HARBORED MERCURY-RESISTANT BACTERIA, European journal of protistology, 29(2), 1993, pp. 155-159
A co-culture of environmental Acanthamoeba sp. associated to Hg-sensit
ive, narrow or broad-spectrum Hg-resistant Aeromonas sp. strains was e
xposed to HgCl2 and phenylmercuric acetate. Amoebic growth depended on
the Hg-resistance determinants of harboured bacteria. This laboratory
model helped in understanding the mechanisms of Hg-resistance observe
d in amoeba isolated in river waters after a mercuric pollution. Amoeb
a acquired Hg-resistance by using symbiotic resistant bacteria.