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Damage to Plants and Microorganisms Caused by Heavy Metal Toxicity

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Plant Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 280

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Interests: microorganisms; pollution; metabolism; response; regulation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Heavy metal contamination poses a critical threat to ecosystems and agricultural productivity, with metals such as cadmium, lead, arsenic, and mercury disrupting biological processes in plants and microorganisms. This Special Issue aims to explore the molecular, physiological, and ecological impacts of heavy metal toxicity, focusing on mechanisms of damage, adaptive responses, and remediation strategies. The Special Issue seeks to compile cutting-edge research on the following: Molecular Mechanisms: DNA damage repair pathways (e.g., homologous recombination, base excision repair) in plants and microbes under metal stress; Physiological Adaptations: Antioxidant defense systems, metal chelation (e.g., phytochelatins, metallothioneins), and microbial detoxification enzymes (e.g., oxidoreductases); Ecological Interactions: Impacts on plant-microbe symbioses (e.g., mycorrhizae, rhizobia) and soil microbial diversity; Bioremediation: Novel approaches leveraging metal-tolerant plants (phytoremediation) or engineered microbial consortia for soil and water restoration. All related content focuses on the molecular level. This issue invites original research, reviews, and methodological advances from related researchers. By integrating multidisciplinary insights, the issue will provide a roadmap for mitigating heavy metal toxicity and promoting sustainable ecosystem health.

Dr. Xiaomeng Chen
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • metal
  • oxidative stress
  • stress response
  • molecular function
  • gene regulation
  • metabolic regulation
  • signaling pathway

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 2979 KB  
Article
Bacillus subtilis Response to Mercury Toxicity: A Defense Mediated by Sulphur-Rich Molecules and Oxidative Prevention Systems
by Luis Fernando García-Ortega, Iliana Noemí Quiroz-Serrano, Jesús Guzmán-Moreno, Mario Pedraza-Reyes, Rosa María Ramírez-Santoyo and Luz Elena Vidales-Rodríguez
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(20), 10179; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms262010179 - 20 Oct 2025
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Abstract
Upon reacting with cellular components, Hg(II) ions elicit the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). While the ROS-promoted cytotoxic and genotoxic effects induced by Hg(II) have been widely described in eukaryotes, such effects have been less studied in bacteria. In this work, the [...] Read more.
Upon reacting with cellular components, Hg(II) ions elicit the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). While the ROS-promoted cytotoxic and genotoxic effects induced by Hg(II) have been widely described in eukaryotes, such effects have been less studied in bacteria. In this work, the prokaryotic environmental model Bacillus subtilis was employed to evaluate the cytotoxic and genotoxic impact of Hg(II) over strains proficient or deficient in SOS, general stress and antioxidant responses, as well as the global transcriptional response elicited by this ion. The exposure to HgCl2 significantly increased the mutation frequency to rifampicin resistance (RifR) in WT and mutant strains, suggesting a major contribution of these pathways in counteracting the genotoxic effects of Hg(II). Detection of A → T and C → G transversion mutations in the rpoB gene of Hg(II)-exposed cells suggested the generation of 8-oxo-guanines (8-OxoGs) and other oxidized DNA bases. The RNA-seq study revealed upregulation of genes involved in efflux and/or reduction of metal ions, synthesis of sulfur-containing molecules, and downregulation of genes implicated in iron metabolism and cell envelope stress. Therefore, our results indicate that metal extrusion and scavenging of Hg(II) by thiol-rich molecules may constitute a line of defense of B. subtilis that counteracts the noxious effects of ROS resulting from an imbalance in iron metabolism elicited by this ion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Damage to Plants and Microorganisms Caused by Heavy Metal Toxicity)
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Review

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37 pages, 6783 KB  
Review
Mechanisms of Arsenic Interaction in Bacillus subtilis and Related Species with Biotechnological Potential
by Luz I. Valenzuela-García, María Teresa Alarcón-Herrera, Elizabeth Cisneros-Lozano, Mario Pedraza-Reyes and Víctor M. Ayala-García
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(21), 10277; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms262110277 - 22 Oct 2025
Abstract
Arsenic (As) toxicity drives the evolution of resistance mechanisms in environmental microorganisms. Bacteria of the Bacillus genus are frequently identified in isolates from arsenic-contaminated sites, highlighting the importance of understanding the molecular mechanisms related to this bacterial genus. Bacillus subtilis, a soil [...] Read more.
Arsenic (As) toxicity drives the evolution of resistance mechanisms in environmental microorganisms. Bacteria of the Bacillus genus are frequently identified in isolates from arsenic-contaminated sites, highlighting the importance of understanding the molecular mechanisms related to this bacterial genus. Bacillus subtilis, a soil microorganism and Gram-positive model paradigm, employs multiple strategies to counteract As toxicity, including biosorption, redox transformation, active efflux, and inducible genetic regulation. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the physiological and molecular mechanisms involved in arsenic response in B. subtilis and related species, focusing on the ars and ase operons. The ars operon, located within the mobile SKIN element, encodes a reductase (ArsC), an Acr3-type efflux pump (ArsB), a carbon–arsenic lyase (ArsI/YqcK), and a transcriptional repressor (ArsR), all co-regulated in response to arsenic. In turn, the ase operon contributes to resistance via an ArsB-type efflux system (AseA) and its own regulatory protein (AseR) but lacks an arsenate reductase. Additionally, genes such as aioAB, arrAB, and arsD are discussed, along with evidence for extracellular detoxification and cell surface immobilization of As. Studies on environmental Bacillus species are examined, pointing out the evolutionary implications of As resistance and the biotechnological potential for remediation of contaminated sites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Damage to Plants and Microorganisms Caused by Heavy Metal Toxicity)
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