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Abstract
Mechanism of inactivation of a double-stranded DNA phage, phage Jl of Lactobacillus casei, by reduced form of glutathione (GSH) was studied.
Air (oxygen) bubbling, oxidizing agents and transition metal ions enhanced the rate of inactivation of the phage by GSH. Partial oxidation of GSH resulted in a more rapid rate of inactivation. In contrast, nitrogen bubbling, reducing agents, chelating agents and radical scavengers prevented the inactivation. Fully oxidized GSH had no phagocidal effect. These results indicate that the inactivating effect of GSH requires the presence of molecular oxygen and is caused by free radical involved in the mechanism of GSH oxidation.
The target of GSH in the phage particle was not the tail protein but DNA. GSH reacted with phage DNA and caused single-strand scissions in the DNA, as exhibited by alkaline sucrose gradient centrifugation; thus inactivating phage.