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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, December 2004, p. 7342-7347, Vol. 70, No. 12
0099-2240/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.70.12.7342-7347.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

In Vivo 31P Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Investigation of Tellurite Toxicity in Escherichia coli

Elke M. Lohmeier-Vogel,* Shiela Ung, and Raymond J. Turner*

Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Received 30 March 2004/ Accepted 3 August 2004

Here we compare the physiological state of Escherichia coli exposed to tellurite or selenite by using the noninvasive technique of phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. We studied glucose-fed Escherichia coli HB101 cells containing either a normal pUC8 plasmid with no tellurite resistance determinants present or the pTWT100 plasmid which contains the resistance determinants tehAB. No differences could be observed in intracellular ATP levels, the presence or absence of a transmembrane pH gradient, or the levels of phosphorylated glycolytic intermediates when resistant cells were studied by 31P NMR in the presence or absence of tellurite. In the sensitive strain, we observed that the transmembrane pH gradient was dissipated and intracellular ATP levels were rapidly depleted upon exposure to tellurite. Only the level of phosphorylated glycolytic intermediates remained the same as observed with resistant cells. Upon exposure to selenite, no differences could be observed by 31P NMR between resistant and sensitive strains, suggesting that the routes for selenite and tellurite reduction within the cells differ significantly, since only tellurite is able to collapse the transmembrane pH gradient and lower ATP levels in sensitive cells. The presence of the resistance determinant tehAB, by an as yet unidentified detoxification event, protects the cells from uncoupling by tellurite.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4. Phone for R.J.T.: (403) 220-4308. Fax: (403) 289-9311. E-mail: turnerr{at}ucalgary.ca. Phone for E.M.L.-V.: (403) 220-8281. Fax: (403) 289-9311. E-mail: lohmeier{at}ucalgary.ca.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, December 2004, p. 7342-7347, Vol. 70, No. 12
0099-2240/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.70.12.7342-7347.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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