Effect of Deuterium on the Expression of Inducible Genes in Escherichia coli

• Published in: Biology bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vol. 46; no. 11; pp. 1595 - 1600
• Main Authors: Abilev, S. K., Igonina, E. V., Smirnova, S. V., Rubanovich, A. V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Moscow Pleiades Publishing 01.12.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biosensors; Catalase; Cell Biology; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA damage; E coli; Ecology; Hydrogen peroxide; Life Sciences; Luminescence; Radionuclides; RecA protein; Zoology; deuterium oxide; biosensor; A expression; hydrogen peroxide; G expression
• ISSN: 1062-3590; 1608-3059
• DOI: 10.1134/S1062359019110025

— It has been shown for the first time that preliminary incubation of bacteria in a medium containing deuterium oxide (D 2 O) at concentrations of 2.5 to 10% leads to an increase in rec A expression induced by hydrogen peroxide at concentrations of 2.2–8.8 mmol/L. The induction of rec A in deuterated and non-deuterated (control) cultures was compared using a biosensor based on the E. coli strain K12 MG1655 (pRecA-lux), where luminescence occurs as a result of rec A promoter activation in response to DNA damage caused by H 2 O 2 . The most effective D 2 O concentrations were 5.0 and 7.5%. To explain the phenomenon, expression of the catalase gene was studied in deuterated and non-deuterated cultures of E. coli K12 MG1655 (pKatG-lux) biosensor. The luminescence of this biosensor results from activation of the kat G promoter in response to an increase in the concentration of H 2 O 2 in the cell. It was found that D 2 O downregulated kat G expression, which can lead to H 2 O 2 accumulation, and, as a consequence, to an increase in the level of DNA damage as seen by an increase in rec A expression.