Role of glutathione in reversing the deleterious effects of a thiol-oxidizing agent in Escherichia coli

Abstract

Diamide was found to be much less specific for the oxidation of glutathione in vivo in E. coli than had been previously assumed. In vivo, only a slight alteration of the ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione was found, whereas a significant amount of glutathione was found in the form of mixed disulfide with proteins. This latter occurrence was postulated as being responsible for the bacteriostatic effect of diamide.