Redox Effects on Cell Growth and Protein Solubility

Abstract

It has been shown that the redox potential of the cellular environment has an acute effect on the different processes of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">E. coli . First, redox molecules affect cellular respiration, and thus the cellular behavior, by their competition with dioxygen for electrons transferred through the electron transport system. Furthermore, redox levels modulate protein folding, and thus the solubility of this protein. The cells were grown on a rich medium as well as a more controlled minimal medium, which lacks many unspecified nutrients that are found in the rich medium. Different concentrations of various redox agents were administered to each in order to find redox levels that would optimize the growth of the cells and increase the solubility of the proteins they produce. Levels of benzoquinone between 10 and 100 M appeared to be the most effective in maximizing the rate of growth. However, 10mM concentrations of benzoquinone and its substituted derivatives did not increase the solubility of any of the proteins.