title: Effects of intracellular glutathione on sensitivity of Escherichia coli to mercury and arsenite.
abstract: The effect of intracellular glutathione on sensitivity to mercuric cations and arsenite anions was studied in Escherichia coli mutants that lack glutathione (gshA) with or without an additional mutation affecting the osmotregulant trehalose. The absence of glutathione increased cellular sensitivity to both Hg2+ and AsO2-. The double mutant was more sensitive to Hg2+ than the single mutant strain. The addition of plasmid resistance determinants of Hg2+ and AsO2- showed additivity between chromosomal genes and plasmid genes. Mercury resistance was increased in the plasmid-containing cells but not up to the level of wild-type cells. Plasmid arsenite resistance was not expressed in the gshA mutant of E. coli.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Florida A & M University, Tallahassee 32307, USA. llatinwo@famu.edu
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Latinwo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Donald
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ikediobi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Silver
mesh_terms: D018053:Arsenites / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001189:Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases; D002413:Cations, Divalent / Q000494:pharmacology; D051544:Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism*; D008627:Mercuric Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009154:Mutation; D010089:Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014199:Trehalose / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018053:Arsenites; D002413:Cations, Divalent; D008627:Mercuric Chloride; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D014199:Trehalose; D001189:Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases; D051544:Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A; D010089:Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating; D005978:Glutathione; C015001:arsenite