Concentration-dependent effects of metronidazole, inhibiting nitrogenase, on hydrogen photoproduction and proton-translocating ATPase activity of Rhodobacter sphaeroides

摘要

Rhodobacter sphaeroides MDC6522 is able to produce hydrogen (H_2) during photofermentation. Metromdazole (2-methyl-5-nitroimidazole-1-ethanol) has been shown to affect bacterial growth under anaerobic nitrogen-limited conditions in a concentration-dependent manner (within the range of 0.1-2 raM) by increasing lag phase duration and decreasing growth rate. The addition of metronidazole into the growth medium resulted in a delayed decrease of redox potential (E_h): by the addition of 0.1 mM metronidazole E_h decreased to -590 ± 25 mV, whereas in the presence of 2 mM E_h drop down was to -175 ± 15 mV. H_2 production during R. sphaeroides growth disappeared in the presence of metronidazole. By addition of 0.5 mM metronidazole H_2 yield was ～8 fold lower in comparison with control; whereas the bacterium was unable to produce H_2 in the presence of 1-2 mM. The effects of metronidazole on nitrogenase-dependent H_2 production by R. sphaeroides might be explained by change of general photosynthetic electron transport with metronidazole as an alternative electron acceptor instead of nitrogenase. ATPase activity of membrane vesicles was determined with and without N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD), an inhibitor of the F_0F_1-ATPase. It was revealed that DCCD-inhibited ATPase activity increased in the presence of metronidazole. It is possible that this effect may be resulted in either by direct affect of metronidazole on the F_0F_1-ATPase, or by its effect on E_h regulating ATPase activity.