[Changes in the redox potential and pO2 in heat shock to Escherichia coli].

When the growing culture of Escherichia coli was subjected to a temperature above 37 degrees C, the pO2 fell abruptly at 42 degrees C; a reversible decrease in the redox potential (ROP) down to the range of negative values was detected if the growth ceased at 46 degrees C. The drop in the ROP took from 6 to 10 min, with the maximal deviation of 42.5 mV. Such changes in the pO2 and ROP were not caused by a heat shock in the stationary cultures. The change in the ROP was not due to a change in the pH and pO2 of the medium. The authors believe that the effect should be attributed to an elimination of the ionic gradients and the electrochemical gradient delta muH+.