Glutathione and gamma-glutamyl transferases are involved in the formation of cadmium-glutathione complex

FEBS Lett. 2009 May 6;583(9):1489-92. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2009.03.066. Epub 2009 Apr 2.

Abstract

In a wild-type strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, cadmium induces the activities of both gamma-glutamyl transferase (gamma-GT) and glutathione transferase 2 (Gtt2). However, Gtt2 activity did not increase under gamma-GT or Ycf1 deficiencies, suggesting that the accumulation of glutathione-cadmium in the cytosol inhibits Gtt2. On the other hand, the balance between the cytoplasmic and vacuolar level of glutathione seems to regulate gamma-GT activity, since this enzyme was not activated in a gtt2 strain. Taken together, these results suggest that gamma-GT and Gtt2 work together to remove cadmium from the cytoplasm, a crucial mechanism for metal detoxification that is dependent on glutathione.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cadmium / metabolism*
  • Glutathione / metabolism*
  • Glutathione Transferase / metabolism*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / enzymology
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism
  • gamma-Glutamyltransferase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • gamma-Glutamyltransferase / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cadmium
  • gamma-Glutamyltransferase
  • Glutathione Transferase
  • Glutathione