Bacterial glutathione: a sacrificial defense against chlorine compounds.

Aerobic organisms possess a number of often overlapping and well-characterized defenses against common oxidants such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide. However, much less is known of mechanisms of defense against halogens such as chlorine compounds. Although chlorine-based oxidants may oxidize a number of cellular components, sulfhydrl groups are particularly reactive. We have, therefore, assessed the importance of intracellular glutathione in protection of Escherichia coli cells against hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorous acid, and chloramines. Employing a glutathione-deficient E. coli strain (JTG10) and an otherwise isogenic glutathione-sufficient E. coli strain (AB1157), we find that glutathione-deficient organisms are approximately twice as sensitive to killing by both hydrogen peroxide and chlorine compounds. However, the mode of protection by glutathione in these two cases appears to differ: exogenous glutathione added to glutathione-deficient E. coli in amounts equal to those which would be present in a similar suspension of the wild-type bacteria fully restored resistance of glutathione-deficient bacteria to chlorine-based oxidants but did not change resistance to hydrogen peroxide. Furthermore, in protection against chlorine compounds, oxidized glutathione is almost as effective as reduced glutathione, implying that the tripeptide and/or oxidized thiol undergo further reactions with chlorine compounds. Indeed, in vitro, 1 mol of reduced glutathione will react with approximately 3.5 to 4.0 mol of hypochlorous acid. We conclude that glutathione defends E. coli cells against attack by chlorine compounds and hydrogen peroxide but, in the case of the halogen compounds, does so nonenzymatically and sacrificially.     

Effects of peroxide and catalase on near ultraviolet radiation sensitivity in Escherichia coli strains

The role of peroxide and catalase on NUV radiation sensitivity was examined in two repair competent E. coli strains, AB1157 and B/r. Exponential phase B/r is considerably more sensitive to NUV radiation than exponential phase AB1157. However, resistance to 5 mmol dm-3 H2O2 was induced in both AB1157 and B/r by pretreating growing cells with 30 mumol dm-3 H2O2. Pretreatment also induced resistance to broad-band NUV radiation in these strains. The addition of catalase to the post-irradiation plating medium increased survival to the same extent as that provided by pretreatment with 30 mumol dm-3 H2O2, in both strains. The NUV radiation sensitivity seen in B/r does not appear to be due to a deficiency in enzymes that scavenge H2O2, as a catalase deficient mutant, E. coli UM1, is more resistant to NUV radiation than B/r. Also, assays for H2O2 scavenging ability show little difference between AB1157 and B/r in this respect. Two hypotheses are put forward to account for the sensitivity of exponential phase B/r. Whilst it is apparent that peroxides and catalase do have a role in NUV radiation damage, it is clear that other factors also influence survival under certain conditions.     

Assessment of Escherichia coli B with enhanced permeability to fluorochromes for flow cytometric assays of bacterial cell function

BACKGROUND: Flow cytometry has become a choice methodology for microbiological research. However, functional cytometric assays in live bacteria are still limited. This is due, in part, to the cell wall impairing penetration of vital dyes in bacteria, thus imposing permeabilization procedures. These manipulations may affect cell physiology, provoke cell aggregation or lysis, and they are time-consuming. Escherichia coli B strains have been used for mutagenic assays because of an altered lipopolysaccharide that provokes increased membrane permeability. We assessed the use of these strains as possible alternatives for flow cytometric assays to avoid the permeabilization steps. METHODS: Suspensions of E. coli K-12 (strain AB1157) and E. coli B (strain WP2 uvrA/pKM101, denoted as strain IC188) were stained with several fluorochromes, including fluorescein isothiocyanate, propidium iodide, Nile Red, bis-(1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid) trimethine oxonol, hydroethidine, and dihydro-dichlorofluorescein diacetate, under basal conditions and following permeabilization, impairment of membrane potential, inhibition of dye efflux pump, and oxidative stress. Fluorescent staining of both strains was compared by epifluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. RESULTS: The E. coli B strain IC188 exhibited more efficient staining with vital fluorochromes than the E. coli K-12 strain AB1157 and maintained a similar membrane potential. In addition, IC188 showed higher sensitivity than AB1157 to reveal oxidative stress when challenged with prooxidants. CONCLUSIONS: E. coli B strains may be useful for biochemical and toxicological studies based on flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy.     

Radiation sensitivity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N. pharaonis</Emphasis> in comparison with <Emphasis Type="Italic">E. coli </Emphasis>K12 strains

To investigate the radiation sensitivity of the natronobacterium Natronomonas pharaonis in comparison with Escherichia coli strains (N. pharaonis DSM 2160T, E. coli strains AB1157 and K12 lambda s) were exposed to gamma-radiation (60Co-gamma-source, 100 Gy min-1) in the presence of oxygen (air) and under strongly reduced oxygen conditions (argon-saturated medium). After irradiation, the colony-forming ability (dose-survival curves) and the D37 dose were determined. The oxygen content of the solutions containing high NaCl concentrations was measured with an oxygen electrode (Clark electrode). It was found that N. pharaonis can tolerate a remarkably higher irradiation dose than the two E. coli strains (approx. 1.5-fold of K12 lambda s and approx. 4-fold of AB1157). The oxygen enhancement ratio (OER) is 2.8 for N. pharaonis and 2.6 for both E. coli strains. Therefore the higher radiation resistance of the N. pharaonis is not due to the low oxygen content of the cell solution (high salt concentration) but is probably related to the higher DNA repair ability of this archaebacteria strain.     

Isolation and characterization of a new globomycin-resistant dnaE mutant of Escherichia coli.

We isolated a globomycin-resistant, temperature-sensitive mutant of Escherichia coli K-12 strain AB1157. The mutation mapped in dnaE, the structural gene for the alpha-subunit of DNA polymerase III. The in vivo processing of lipid-modified prolipoprotein was more resistant to globomycin in the mutant strain 307 than in its parent. The prolipoprotein signal peptidase activity was also increased twofold in the mutant, and there was a threefold increase in the activity of isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase. The results suggest that a mutation in dnaE may affect the expression of the ileS-lsp operon in E. coli. In addition, strain 307 showed a reduced level of streptomycin resistance compared with its parental strain AB1157 (rpsL31). Strain 307 was killed by streptomycin at a concentration of 200 micrograms/ml, which did not affect the rate of bulk protein synthesis in this mutant. A second mutation which was involved in the reduced streptomycin resistance in strain 307 was identified and found to be closely linked to or within the rpsD (ramA, ribosomal ambiguity) gene. Both dnaE and rpsD were required for the reduced streptomycin resistance in strain 307.     

Gene responsible for protecting Escherichia coli from sodium dodecyl sulfate and toluidine blue plus light.

Escherichia coli cells were killed by visible light irradiation in the presence of the photosensitizing dye, toluidine blue. Two uvrB mutant strains of E. coli K-12 (AB1885 and N3-1) were much more sensitive than the isogenic uvrA and uvrC strains to treatment with toluidine blue plus light, suggesting that the uvrB+ gene product was involved in repair of DNA damage induced by the treatment. The uvrB+ gene cloned in a high- or low-copy-number plasmid was transformed into the uvrB strain (AB1885). Although all the transformants showed the same resistance as its wild-type strain (AB1157) to UV irradiation, they were as sensitive as AB1885 was to treatment with toluidine blue plus light. The two uvrB strains were more sensitive to sodium dodecyl sulfate than the other strains, suggesting that these strains had a defect in the cell surface. A sodium dodecyl sulfate-resistant revertant obtained from AB1885 was more resistant than AB1885 was to treatment with toluidine blue plus light. The two uvrB strains (AB1885 and N3-1) appear to have a defective gene (tentatively called dvl) different from uvrB. Its map position was around 7 min on the E. coli map.     

Enhanced survival of gamma-irradiated Escherichia coli following pretreatment with dithiothreitol

Survival of three strains of Escherichia coli K12 was studied with respect to radiation protection by dithiothreitol (DTT). The three strains compared were AB2462 recA, AB2470 rec21 and their DNA repair-competent prototype, AB1157. The strains were incubated in 10 mmol dm-3 DTT for 60 min and allowed an expression period for SOS functions to appear which may have been induced by DTT. Following the expression period the DTT-incubated cells and incubated control cells were irradiated. When AB1157 cells were pretreated with chloramphenicol (200 micrograms cm-3) for a period of 30 min prior to addition of the induction media no increase in survival was seen. When catalase (0.1 mg cm-3) was added to the AB1157 cells prior to the induction media a decrease in the degree of induction was noted with an enhancement ratio (ER) of 0.893 (ER-1 = 1.12). Furthermore, DTT-treated AB2462 and AB2470 demonstrated no increase in survival when compared to control cells. In radiation experiments on either strain of E. coli with or without DTT present during irradiation, the following were observed: (1) survival of AB1157 was enhanced with a dose modification factor (DMF) of 1.7 with DTT present and 1.3 with pretreatment; (2) the rec mutants showed no change in survival at any dose with a DMF of approximately 1.0. Results indicate that, using our protocol, inducible repair is of more importance than free radical scavenging by DTT. Furthermore, DTT-treated AB2462 demonstrated no increase in survival when compared to control cells. In radiation experiments on either strain of E. coli with and without DTT present during irradiation, the following were observed: (1) survival of AB1157 was enhanced with a DMF of 1.7 with DTT present during irradiation and 1.3 with only pretreatment; (2) the recA and recB mutants showed no change in cell survival at any dose with a DMF of approximately 1.0. Results indicate that, using our pretreatment protocol, inducible repair is of more importance in protection than free radical scavenging by DTT.     

Methyl methane sulfonate-sensitive mutant of Escherichia coli deficient in an endonuclease specific for apurinic sites in deoxyribonucleic acid.

A methyl methane sulfonate (MMS)-sensitive mutant of Escherichia coli AB 1157 was obtained by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine treatment. The mutant strain, AB 3027, is defective both in endonuclease activity for apurinic sites in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and in DNA polymerase I, as shown by direct enzyme assays. Derivative strains, which retained the deficiency in endonuclease activity for apurinic sties (approximately 10% of the wild-type enzyme level) but had normal DNA polymerase I activity, were obtained by P1-mediated transduction (strain NH5016) or by selection of revertants to decreased MMS sensitivity. These endonuclease-deficient strains are more MMS-sensitive than wild-type strains. Revertants of these deficients strains to normal MMS resistance were isolated. They had increased levels of the endonuclease activity but did not attain wild-type levels. The data suggest that endonuclease for apurinic sites is active in repair of lesions introduced in DNA as a consequence of MMS treatment. Two different endonucleases that specifically attack DNA containing apurinic sites arepresented in E coli K-12. A heat-labile activity, sensitive to inhibition by ethylenediaminetetraacetate, accounts for 90% of the total endonuclease activity for apurinic sties in crude cell extracts. The residual 10% is due to a more heat-resistant activity, refractory to ethylenediaminetetraacetate inhibition. The AB3027 and NH5016 strains have normal amounts of the latter endonuclease but no or very little of the former activity.     

Effects of menadione and hydrogen peroxide on glutathione status in growing Escherichia coli

Menadione (MD) and H2O2 caused distinct effects on glutathione status in growing Escherichia coli. Treatment of E. coli AB1157 with 1-25 mM H2O2 did not result in an appreciable decrease in intracellular total glutathione (reduced glutathione [GSH] + oxidized glutathione [GSSG]). Only when cells were treated with 25 mM H2O2 an increase in GSSG and a decrease in the GSH:GSSG ratio were observed. In cells deficient in catalase HPI, such effect was observed even at 10 mM H2O2. The exposure of E. coli AB1157 to MD caused a dose-dependent decrease in intracellular total glutathione, an increase in GSSG, and a decrease in the ratio of GSH:GSSG. In E. coli deficient in cytosolic superoxide dismutase activity, a decrease in total glutathione after incubation with 0.2 mM MD was not accompanied by an increase in GSSGin, and the ratio of GSHin:GSSGin was three times higher than in the wild-type cells. The changes in the redox status of extracellular glutathione under the action of both oxidants were similar. Although the catalase activity increased several times after exposure to both oxidants, there were little or no changes in the activity of enzymes related to glutathione metabolism. A possible role of changes in redox status of glutathione under oxidative stress is discussed.     

Enhancement by cysteamine of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea mutagenesis in E. coli

Cysteamine (MEA) is comutagenic to methylnitrosourea (MNU) in E. coli AB 1157 but not in the nonadaptable mutant derivative ada-6 of that strain. The comutagenic action of MEA was eliminated by cysteine at low concentrations, which also lowered mutation frequencies in AB1157 but not in ada-6. In model experiments it was shown that cysteine counteracted the inhibition by MEA of beta-galactosidase induction in both bacterium strains. The comutagenic action of MEA is interpreted as being due to an inhibition of induction of methyltransferase during treatment with MNU.     

Cloning of Bacteroides fragilis plasmid genes affecting metronidazole resistance and ultraviolet survival in Escherichia coli

Since reduced metronidazole causes DNA damage, resistance to metronidazole was used as a selection method for the cloning of Bacteroides fragilis genes affecting DNA repair mechanisms in Escherichia coli. Genes from B. fragilis Bf-2 were cloned on a recombinant plasmid pMT100 which made E. coli AB1157 and uvrA, B, and C mutant strains more resistant to metronidazole, but more sensitive to far uv irradiation under aerobic conditions. The loci affecting metronidazole resistance and uv sensitivity were linked and located on a 5-kb DNA fragment which originated from the small 6-kb cryptic plasmid pBFC1 present in B. fragilis Bf-2 cells.     

The use of rec-bacteria for testing of carcinogenic substances.

A series of rec-Escherichia coli strains were tested for their sensitivity to four known carcinogenic compounds by examination of a zone of inhibited bacterial growth around a central well containing the test chemical. The mutants recA-, recB-, recC-, and recA- recB- recC- were all more sensitive to the mutagens than the parental strain AB1157. The recB- recC- strain was examined with a larger series of compounds and was found to respond to many of the substances in a similar way as the Salmonella typhimurium strains of Ames but with some notable exceptions. Nitrosamines, with rat liver microsomal activation, could be detected at lower levels and a group of aromatic amino compounds failed to react with these rec-E. coli. An unusual feature of these rec-mutants is their sensitivity to mixtures of nitrosamines and 2-acetyl amino-fluorene in the absence of microsomal activation.     

Reactivating effect of Escherichia coli exometabolites on UV-irradiated cells

Wild-type and mutant (AB 1157 and K-12) strains of Escherichia coli were shown to synthesize the logarithmic growth phase, exometabolites reactivating UV-irradiated cells of producer strains. The exometabolites of the strain K-12 were of protein nature and had a molecular weight of no more than 10 kDa. The reactivating activity of these exometabolites was inversely related to bacterial survival and slightly increased under the influence of stress factors. The reactivating factor of Luteococcus casei had a cross-reactivating and protective effect on UV-irradiated cells of E. coli strain K-12. Due to activation of the reactivating factor after UV irradiation and heating, the cross-protective effect increased more than threefold. The reactivating effect remained unchanged under these conditions. The protein exometabolites of E. coli did not induce cross-stress response in L. casei.     

UV-induced alleviation of K-specific restriction of bacteriophage lambda.

A partial release of K-specific restriction of phage lambda grown in Escherichia coli C was observed when E. coli K strains AB1157 (having wild-type repair of UV-produced DNA damage) and AB1886 (uvrA) were irradiated with UV light before infection. The effect occurred in AB1886 at lower UV fluences than it did in AB1157. Little or no release of restriction was observed when AB2463 (recA) or AB2494 (lex-1) was used. Such release of restriction appears to be another of the UV-induced phenomena associated with "SOS" repair.     

Xylitol and D-arabitol toxicities due to derepressed fructose, galactitol, and sorbitol phosphotransferases of Escherichia coli.

d-Arabitol was observed to be toxic to many laboratory strains of Escherichia coli K-12, and xylitol was found to be toxic to an existing E. coli C mutant strain. Fructose-specific components of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system are required for xylitol toxicity. Selection for xylitol resistance results in Fru(-) strains blocked in fructose phosphotransferase. Introduction of the ptsF or ptsI mutation into a xylitol-sensitive strain eliminates sensitivity. [(14)C]fructose uptake experiments imply that the mutation to xylitol sensitivity, which is co-transducible with ara and leu, results in derepression of normally inducible fructose phosphotransferase. Wild-type strains also become xylitol sensitive if induced by (and then removed from) fructose. Xylitol toxicity is prevented by fructose in both wild-type and mutant strains. Circumstances causing xylitol, a new food additive, to become toxic to an otherwise insensitive wild-type organism have not been reported previously. The d-arabitol-sensitive laboratory strains are galactitol (dulcitol) utilizers, although most other strains are not. Selection for d-arabitol resistance results in Gat(-) strains blocked in a constitutive galactitol-specific component of the phosphotransferase system. A mutation causing d-arabitol sensitivity occurred many years ago in AB284, the parent of AB311, AB312, AB313, and many other strains. d-Arabitol sensitivity also occurs in sorbitol-constitutive strains and is shown, like the previous two instances of pentitol toxicities, to result from a constitutive phosphotransferase, which is blocked in mutants selected for resistance.     

RCI-1, a GSH-deficient mutant ofEscherichia coli B: Response to oxidants and thiol-reacting compounds

The concentration of glutathione (GSH) in bacteria is many-fold less than in mammalian cells except forEscherichia coli, where the GSH level is similar to that of mammalian tissues. On the basis of our observation that GSH in a B strain, ATCC 29682, was reduced (>80%) by exposure to oxidants while a K-12 strain (AB 1157) was minimally affected (<20%), we constructed a B strain GSH-deficient mutant that exhibited antioxidant enzyme activities similar to the wild strain. We successfully transduced thegsh A:: Tn10Km allele from JTG-10, a GSH-deficient K-12 strain, to ATCC 29682, the GSH-sufficient B strain. Compared with ATCC 29682, the growth of the GSH-deficient B mutant, designated RCI-1, was more sensitive to the presence of thiol-reactive chemicals. However, no difference was found between GSH-sufficient and -deficient strains in lethality following exposure to the same thiol-reactive chemicals. Thus, GSH inE. coli B is important in maintaining growth in the presence of oxidants but does not affect oxidant lethality.     

Recombination in Escherichia coli cells and multiform cytotoxic resistance

Genetic crosses between E. coli Hfr C--donor and E. coli AB 1157--recipient cells sensitive to single target inhibitor glyphosate gave rise to offspring which could tolerate not only minimal inhibitory concentration of this inhibitor but also six-fold increased concentrations. No change in glyphosate target enzyme activity in transconjugants (resulted from recombination occurred at arg G and proAB genome regions, respectively) compared to that of parent strains was observed. If new combinations due to recombination of some genetic factors is responsible for emergence of this resistance the question is raised on the nature of these factors and their role in cell biology.     

Survival and the repair of single-stranded DNA breaks in gamma-irradiated Escherichia coli cells adapted to methylmethane sulfonate]

The survival and repair of single-strand breaks of DNA in gamma-ray-irradiated E. coli adapted to MMS (20 mkg/ml during 3 hours) have been investigated. It is shown that the survival of adapted bacteria of radioresistant strains B/r, H/r30, AB1157 and W3110 pol+ increases with DMF (dose modification factor) ranging within 1.4-1.8 and in radiosensitive strains Bs-1, AB1157 recA13 and AB1157 lexA3 with DMF ranging within 1.3-1.4, and does not change in strains with mutation in polA gene P3478 polA1 and 016 res-3. There is no increase in radioresistance during the adaptation to MMS under the action of the protein synthesis inhibitor chloramphenicol. The increase in radioresistance during the adaptation to MMS correlates with the acceleration of repair of gamma-ray-induced single-strand breaks in the radioresistant strains B/r and W3110 pol+ and with the appearance of the ability to repair some part of DNA single-strand breaks in the mutant Bs-1, which beyond the adaptation to MMS does not repair these damages. The incomplete reparability of DNA single-strand breaks in P3478 polA1 strain cells, both adapted and non-adapted to MMS, is equal.     

Effect of a null mutation in the priA gene on radioresistance of Escherichia coli

According to Kogoma's model of DNA recombination by replication, the PriA protein is involved in the RecBCD pathway of double-strand break (DSB) repair, which is associated with extensive DNA degradation, at the stage of primosome assembly in D-loops (intermediates of strand exchange at the ends of DSB) for the subsequent switch to DSB-induced DNA resynthesis. Comparable data on possible involvement of the PriA protein in the repair of gamma-ray-induced lethal lesions in cells of the wild-type strain of Escherichia coli (strain AB1157) and in two radiation-resistant mutants Gamr445 and Gamr444 were obtained. In all the three strains examined, the null priA2::kan mutation in the structural priA gene was shown to markedly enhance the radiation sensitivity, causing a two- to threefold increase in the slopes of linear dose-survival curves. In the AB1157 strain, the inactivation of PriA is manifested most clearly in the range of low doses (up to 0.15 kGy) when the priA2::kan mutation had only a slight effect on the radiation resistance of Gamr mutants. It can be assumed that, in these mutants with a decreased level of postradiation DNA degradation, the PriA-dependent RecBCD pathway of DSB repair associated with extensive DNA resynthesis is not essential for the repair of lethal lesions at low doses. However, this pathway becomes crucial at higher doses (> 0.5 kGy) even for radiation-resistant strains, especially for the most resistant Gamr444 mutant.     

Cell cycle parameters of Escherichia coli K-12.

A computer simulation routine was used to calculate the DNA distributions of exponentially growing cultures of Escherichia coli K-12. Simulated distributions were compared with distributions obtained experimentally by flow cytometry. Durations of the DNA replication period (C) and the postreplication period (D) were found by minimizing the difference between theoretical and experimental DNA histograms. It was demonstrated that the K-12 strains AB1157 and CM735 had C and D periods that differed widely from each other and from those of the previously measured strain B/rA, while strain MC1000 was shown to have the same durations of the C and D periods as strain B/rA. The variation between K-12 strains may explain the divergence in the literature regarding their C and D periods. Strains W3110 and AB1157 recA1 had DNA histograms that could not be adequately simulated by the classical Cooper-Helmstetter model, which is consistent with the asymmetrically located origin and terminus for W3110 and the asynchrony of initiation for AB1157 recA1.