Ultrafiltration as a Means to Investigate Copper Resistance Mechanisms in Soil Bacteria

Copper is a trace element of major concern for agricultural soils. It exhibits a high toxicity against microorganisms and is widely introduced into soils as a component of pesticide treatments or urban wastes such as sewage sludges or refuse composts. In most French vineyards, “Bordeaux mixture” (copper sulfate) has been applied for more than a century, sometimes leading to copper concentrations in soils much higher than the threshold values (100 mg kg−1 in France). Microorganisms exposed to high concentrations of copper or other trace elements are known to develop resistance mechanisms and represent a suitable material for the study of such processes, both at a physiological and molecular …