Glutathione level of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans IMV K-6 under the influence of heavy metal salts.

Glutathione is the metal stress protector and changes of its level in the sulfate-reducing bacteria cells under the influence of heavy metal salts have not been studied yet. CdCl2, Pb(NO3)2, CuCl2, and ZnCl2 influence on the total glutathione level in cell-free extracts of sulfate-reducing bacteria Desulfovibrio desulfuricans IMV K-6 was studied. The research has been carried out using Ellman, Lowry methods, statistical processing of the results. It was shown that the glutathione level depends on the heavy metal salts concentration in the medium. The total glutathione level was the highest under the influence of Pb(NO3)2. Other salts were also toxic to bacteria because glutathione level increased in bacterial cells after addition of these salts to the medium. On the basis of the results of our work the range of heavy metal salts influence on D. desulfuricans IMV K-6 cells glutathione level has been formed for the first time: Pb(NO3)2 > CuCl2 > CdCl2 > ZnCl2.