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. 1982 Oct;152(1):81–88. doi: 10.1128/jb.152.1.81-88.1982

Potentiation by L-cysteine of the bactericidal effect of hydrogen peroxide in Escherichia coli.

E H Berglin, M B Edlund, G K Nyberg, J Carlsson
PMCID: PMC221377  PMID: 6749824

Abstract

Under anaerobic conditions an exponentially growing culture of Escherichia coli K-12 was exposed to hydrogen peroxide in the presence of various compounds. Hydrogen peroxide (0.1 mM) together with 0.1 mM L-cysteine or L-cystine killed the organisms more rapidly than 10 mM hydrogen peroxide alone. The exposure of E. coli to hydrogen peroxide in the presence of L-cysteine inhibited some of the catalase. This inhibition, however, could not fully explain the 100-fold increase in hydrogen peroxide sensitivity of the organism in the presence of L-cysteine. Of other compounds tested only some thiols potentiated the bactericidal effect of hydrogen peroxide. These thiols were effective, however, only at concentrations significantly higher than 0.1 mM. The effect of L-cysteine and L-cystine could be annihilated by the metal ion chelating agent 2,2'-bipyridyl. DNA breakage in E. coli K-12 was demonstrated under conditions where the organisms were killed by hydrogen peroxide.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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