Lethality of hydrogen peroxide in wild type and superoxide dismutase mutants of Escherichia coli. (A hypothesis on the mechanism of H2O2-induced inactivation of Escherichia coli).

The toxicity of H2O2 in Escherichia coli wild type and superoxide dismutase mutants was investigated under different experimental conditions. Cells were either grown aerobically, and then treated in M9 salts or K medium, or grown anoxically, and then treated in K medium. Results have demonstrated that the wild type and superoxide dismutase mutants display a markedly different sensitivity to both modes of lethality produced by H2O2 (i.e. mode one killing, which is produced by concentrations of H2O2 lower than 5 mM, and mode two killing which results from the insult generated by concentrations of H2O2 higher than 10 mM). Although the data obtained do not clarify the molecular basis of H2O2 toxicity and/or do not explain the specific function of superoxide ions in H2O2-induced bacterial inactivation, they certainly demonstrate that the latter species plays a key role in both modes of H2O2 lethality. A mechanism of H2O2 toxicity in E. coli is proposed, involving the action of a hypothetical enzyme which should work as an O2-. generating system. This enzyme should be active at low concentrations of H2O2 (less than 5 mM) and high concentrations of the oxidant (greater than 5 mM) should inactivate the same enzyme. Superoxide ions would then be produced and result in mode one lethality. The resistance at intermediate H2O2 concentrations may be dependent on the inactivation of such enzyme with no superoxide ions being produced at levels of H2O2 in the range 5-10 mM. Mode two killing could be produced by the hydroxyl radical in concert with superoxide ions, chemically produced via the reaction of high concentrations of H2O2 (greater than 10 mM) with hydroxyl radicals. The rate of hydroxyl radical production may be increased by the higher availability of Fe2+ since superoxide ions may also reduce trivalent iron to the divalent form.