A Microbiological and Comparative Genomics Based Study of Heavy Metal Resistance in Bacteria With Special Emphasis on Heavy Metal Resistant Bacteria of Kulik River of Raigan West Bengal

Abstract

Environmental pollution is one of the most pressing crises facing our planet today. Among its many contributors, heavy metals have emerged as a particularly dangerous threat, impacting all forms of life down to the smallest microorganisms. These toxic metals disrupt ecosystems, and even bacteria, which typically thrive in a variety of environments, are not immune to their harmful effects. However, microorganisms possess remarkable abilities to resist and detoxify heavy metals, making them an invaluable tool in the fight against pollution. In particular, bacteria are emerging as powerful agents for bioremediation the process of using living organisms to clean up toxic substances. This thesis documents an in-depth investigation into the heavy metal resistance mechanisms of bacterial strains found in the Kulik River of Raiganj, West Bengal. Motivated by the absence of any existing data on heavy metal-tolerant bacteria in this river, the research seeks to fill a critical knowledge gap. newlineThis thesis comprises of eight chapters. The first chapter outlines an introduction incorporating the background of the problem, the study area, scope, and brief ideas on heavy metals, their ill effects and bioremediation mechanisms incorporating bacteria to counter such contaminants. The second chapter comprises of the literature review discussing recent findings dealing with heavy metal contamination of water bodies and bacteria mediated bioremediation. newlineChapters 2 to 7 are the contributory chapters of the thesis and document the entire findings of the study. The study begins with the isolation of multiple metal-tolerant bacterial strains, followed by a comprehensive polyphasic characterization of the most potent isolates. Taxonomic diversity and community structure of the newlinexi newlineriver s bacterial population were analyzed through microbiome profiling. Out of 40 metal-tolerant isolates, two strains demonstrating significant resistance were selected for detailed study. newline