FIG. 2.

Binding of Hg²⁺-thiol conjugates to BLM vesicles from control and NPX rat kidney(s). Total membrane-associated Hg²⁺ was measured by incubating BLM vesicles with 1, 10, 20, 50, or 100 μM Hg²⁺ in combination with a threefold molar excess of GSH, L-cysteine (Cys), or N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAcCys), and ²⁰³Hg²⁺, for up to 60 s in standard, 300 mOsmol/kg buffered sucrose solution. Binding of Hg²⁺ was determined by incubating BLM vesicles as above for 60 s in a buffered sucrose solution with an osmolarity of 1000 mOsmol/kg. Where indicated, samples were preincubated for 15 min with 0.25 mM acivicin. Results are expressed as nmol Hg²⁺/mg protein and are means ± SE of measurements from separate membrane vesicle preparations from three control and three NPX rats each. *Statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) from corresponding control sample. †Statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) from corresponding sample without acivicin.