Changes in the ratio of adenyl nucleotides in Escherichia coli cells as an integral indicator of stress

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Published: Jul 7, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17072/1994-9952-2025-2-178-184
Keywords:
[ATP]/[ADP] adenyl nucleotides energy charge osmotic shock ethanol acid stress

Main Article Content

Anna V. Akhova
Institute of Ecology and Genetics of Microorganisms UB RAS
Alexander G. Tkachenko
Institute of Ecology and Genetics of Microorganisms UB RAS

Abstract

The paper describes changes in the concentration of ATP and ADP in Escherichia coli cells subjected to sublethal stress. Sublethal stress did not lead to a decrease in the number of colony-forming units relative to the moment of the onset of stress exposure, but inhibited growth. Bacteria were cultured in minimal M9 medium supplemented with 0.4% glucose at 37˚C and stirring at 120 rpm. Stressors (50 g/L sodium chloride, 1 g/L acetic acid, 7% ethanol) were added at the exponential growth phase (OD600=0.3). Nucleotides were extracted with 0.4 N HClO4 on ice bath from bacterial cells previously washed from the medium, followed by neutralization with 2 M K2CO3. Quantitative analysis of nucleotides was performed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulfate as an ion-pair reagent. Sodium chloride caused an increase in [ATP] and [ADP], ethanol caused an increase in [ATP] and an increase followed by a decrease in [ADP], and acetic acid caused a decrease followed by an increase in [ATP] and a decrease in [ADP] relative to the unstressed culture. Despite the dissimilar changes in the concentration of ATP and ADP in cells subjected to different types of stress, all of them were characterized by an increased level of the [ATP]/[ADP] compared to the control culture.

Article Details

How to Cite
Akhova А. В., & Tkachenko А. Г. (2025). Changes in the ratio of adenyl nucleotides in Escherichia coli cells as an integral indicator of stress. Bulletin of Perm University. Biology, (2), 178–184. https://doi.org/10.17072/1994-9952-2025-2-178-184
Issue
No. 2 (2025): Bulletin of Perm University. BIOLOGY
Section
Микробиология

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Author Biographies

Anna V. Akhova, Institute of Ecology and Genetics of Microorganisms UB RAS

senior scientist of the Laboratory of Microbial Adaptation

Alexander G. Tkachenko, Institute of Ecology and Genetics of Microorganisms UB RAS

Head of Laboratory of Microbial Adaptation
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