Redox stress in geobacilli from geothermal springs: Phenomenon and membrane-associated response mechanisms

• Changes in pH and redox potential were observed during thermophilic geobacilli growth.
• K3[Fe(CN)6] or dl-dithiothreitol (DTT) stimulated G. toebii growth depending on glucose addition.
• These redox agents suppressed H+ flux and ATPase activity depending on glucose addition.
• DTT stimulated (1.24-fold) FoF1-ATPase activity in the presence of glucose.
• Geobacilli senses redox stress; they present response mechanisms involving FOF1-ATPase.

Geobacillus toebii ArzA-8, from Armenian geothermal springs, grew well in nutrient broth. During its growth, changes in pH in opposite directions were observed depending on glucose supplementation. Accordingly, the decrease in the redox potential was determined using titanium-silicate (Eh) and platinum (Eh′) electrodes: Eh decreased to − 150 ± 3 mV and Eh′ to − 350 ± 2 mV without glucose; the decrease in these potentials was smaller with glucose. Redox stress due to an oxidizer, K3[Fe(CN)6], or a reducer, dl-dithiothreitol (DTT), inhibited bacterial growth. However, a stimulatory effect of K3[Fe(CN)6] or DTT was observed with or without glucose, respectively. With glucose, the H+ efflux was sensitive to N,N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD), an inhibitor of FoF1FOF1-ATPase and other H+ translocation mechanisms, but the addition of an oxidizer or reducer suppressed the H+ efflux. The ATPase activity of membrane vesicles was ~ 1.3-fold higher in cells grown with glucose compared with cells grown without glucose. DCCD and DTT suppressed ATPase activity in cells grown without glucose, whereas DTT stimulated FOF1-ATPase activity in cells grown with glucose. Thus, G. toebii senses redox stress; this thermophile likely presents specific membrane-associated response mechanisms involving FOF1-ATPase to overcome redox stress and survive; these mechanisms are important for adaptation to extreme environments.