Manganese toxicity towards Saccharomyces cerevisiae: dependence on intracellular and extracellular magnesium concentrations.

Inhibition of the growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was evident at concentrations of 0.5 mM Mn2+ or higher, but a tolerance to lower Mn2+ concentrations was observed. The inhibitory effects of 2.0 mM Mn2+ were eliminated by supplementing the medium with excess Mg2+ (10 mM), whereas addition of excess Ca2+ and K+ had negligible effect on Mn2+ toxicity. Growth inhibition by Mn2+, in the absence of a Mg2+ supplement, was attributed to Mn2+ accumulation to toxic intracellular levels. Mn levels in S. cerevisiae grown in Mg(2+)-supplemented medium were severalfold lower than those of cells growing in unsupplemented medium. Mn2+ toxicity was also influenced by intracellular Mg, as Mn2+ toxicity was found to be more closely correlated with the cellular Mg:Mn ratio than with cellular Mn levels alone. Cells with low intracellular levels of Mg were more susceptible to Mn2+ toxicity than cells with high cellular Mg, even when sequestered Mn2+ levels were similar. A critical Mg:Mn ratio of 2.0 was identified below which Mn2+ toxicity became acute. The results demonstrate the importance of intracellular and extracellular competitive interactions in determining the toxicity of Mn2+.