Effect of sodium nitrite inhibition on intracellular thiol groups and on the activity of certain glycolytic enzymes in Clostridium perfringens

Abstract

Activities of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.12) (GAP-DH) and aldolase (EC 4.1.2.13) in cells of Clostridium perfringens that had been inhibited with sodium nitrite were investigated. A complete loss in GAP-DH activity and a 67% decrease in aldolase activity were observed when growth of C. perfringens was inhibited. There was also a 91% decrease in the concentration of free sulfhydryl groups of soluble cellular components. Dithiothreitol restored some activity to inactive GAP-DH from sodium nitrite-inhibited cells, indicating that a loss of reduced sulfhydryl groups was involved in the inactivation of the enzyme. The evidence presented suggests that sodium nitrite inhibition of C. perfringens may involve an interaction of sodium nitrite as nitrous acid with sulfhydryl-containing constituents of the bacterial cell.

Bacterial inhibitory effects of nitrite: inhibition of active transport, but not of group translocation, and of intracellular enzymes

“…It is now clear from recent evidence that nitrite inhibits bacteria by several different means: first, nitrite interferes with energy conservation by inhibiting oxygen uptake, oxidative phosphorylation, and proton-dependent active transport as previously reported (20) and as shown herein; second, nitrite acts as an uncoupler, causing a collapse of the proton gradient (15); and third, nitrite inhibits certain metabolic enzymes as shown herein and as reported by others (17). Thus, nitrite is an effective inhibitor of a wide range of physiological types of bacteria.…”

“…Other workers, moreover, have also previously reported nitrite inhibition of certain glycolytic enzymes of Clostridium (17).…”

“…It functions not only as a color fixative and flavor developer, but as a preservative as well. The inhibition of a wide variety of bacteria, including clostridia and Staphylococcus aureus, by sodium nitrite is well documented (1,5,6,8,9,17,18). The mechanism of inhibition of bacteria by nitrite, however, has not been satisfactorily explained, particularly in regard to anaerobic bacteria and facultatively anaerobic bacteria under anaerobic conditions.…”

Improving wastewater management using free nitrous acid (FNA)

“…The intracellular ATP generation of Pseudomonas, Desulfovibrio and Accumulibacter were consistently seen to decrease with increasing levels of FNA (Gao et al 2016a, Gao et al 2016b, Zhou et al 2010, Zhou et al 2007. As well, the addition of FNA is also found to inhibit ATP synthesis in Escherichia coli O157:H7 cells and in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae Holzer 1985, O'Leary andSolberg 1976).…”

“…FNA generally causes nitrosative stress to bacterial cells in co-action with various effective molecules (Fang 1997, Kim et al 1999. FNA itself and the RNIs derived directly from FNA, or from its reactions with certain cellular components as described above, may lead to various damage to enzymes, cellular membranes, cell walls and nucleic acids (Gao et al 2014, O'Leary andSolberg 1976).…”