Among the many hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria, the Alcaligenes are characterized by their ability in forming two hydrogenases: an NAD-reducing hydrogenase found in the cytoplasm and a membrane-bound hydrogenase [2]. The hydrogen-oxidizing trait of A. eutrophus is encoded by a 450 kb plasmid, which was identified through a plasmid transfer to Hox- cells lacking the plasmid. Two genes encoding the heavy-metal resistance are located within two megaplasmids (pMOL28=180 kbp and pMOL30=240 kbp). These two megaplasmids also carry genes that express cation-efflux pumps for both bacterial inner and outer membranes.
PHB