@article{fdi:010077976,
  title = {{W}idespread microbial mercury methylation genes in the global ocean},
  author = {{V}illar, {E}. and {C}abrol, {L}{\'e}a and {H}eimburger-{B}oavida, {L}. {E}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{M}ethylmercury is a neurotoxin that bioaccumulates from seawater to high concentrations in marine fish, putting human and ecosystem health at risk. {H}igh methylmercury levels have been found in the oxic subsurface waters of all oceans, but only anaerobic microorganisms have been shown to efficiently produce methylmercury in anoxic environments. {T}he microaerophilic nitrite-oxidizing bacteria {N}itrospina have previously been suggested as possible mercury methylating bacteria in {A}ntarctic sea ice. {H}owever, the microorganisms responsible for processing inorganic mercury into methylmercury in oxic seawater remain unknown. {H}ere, we show metagenomic and metatranscriptomic evidence that the genetic potential for microbial methylmercury production is widespread in oxic seawater. {W}e find high abundance and expression of the key mercury methylating genes hgc{AB} across all ocean basins, corresponding to the taxonomic relatives of known mercury methylating bacteria from {D}eltaproteobacteria, {F}irmicutes and {C}hloroflexi. {O}ur results identify {N}itrospina as the predominant and widespread microorganism carrying and actively expressing hgc{AB}. {T}he highest hgc{AB} abundance and expression occurs in the oxic subsurface waters of the global ocean where the highest {M}e{H}g concentrations are typically observed.},
  keywords = {{MONDE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{E}nvironmental {M}icrobiology {R}eports},
  volume = {12},
  numero = {3},
  pages = {277--287},
  ISSN = {1758-2229},
  year = {2020},
  DOI = {10.1111/1758-2229.12829},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010077976},
}