| Cupriavidus metallidurans | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Bacteria |
| Phylum: | Proteobacteria |
| Class: | Betaproteobacteria |
| Order: | Burkholderiales |
| Family: | Burkholderiaceae |
| Genus: | Cupriavidus |
| Binomial name | |
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Cupriavidus metallidurans Goris et al. 2001; Van Damme and Coenye 2004 |
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Cupriavidus metallidurans strain CH34, (renamed from Ralstonia metallidurans and previously known as Ralstonia eutropha and Alcaligenes eutrophus) is a nonspore-forming, Gram-negative bacterium which is adapted to survive several forms of heavy metal stress. Therefore, it is an ideal subject to study heavy metal disturbance of cellular processes. This bacterium shows a unique combination of advantages not present in this form in other bacteria.
Also it plays a vital role, together with the species Delftia acidovorans, in the formation of gold nuggets, by precipitating metallic gold from a solution of gold(III) chloride, a compound highly toxic to most other microorganisms.