Expression of superoxide dismutase, catalase and thermostable direct hemolysin by, and growth in the presence of various nitrogen and carbon sources of heat-shocked and ethanol-shocked Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Vibrio parahaemolyticus 690 was subjected either to heat shock at 42 °C or ethanol shock in the presence of 5% ethanol. The effects of those shocks on superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, and thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH) production were examined. In addition, the growth behaviors of the stressed and unstressed cells of V. parahaemolyticus in the presence of various nitrogen and carbon sources were compared. Both heat shock and ethanol shock reduced the levels of SOD and CAT activities in V. parahaemolyticus. Gel activity staining assay failed to detect the expression of CAT, while one SOD enzyme with an electrophoretic mobility greater than the [Mn]SOD and [Fe]SOD of Escherichia coli was detected in the unstressed, heat-shocked and ethanol-shocked cells of V. parahaemolyticus. Heat shock for 15–60 min and ethanol shock for 45–60 min were found to enhance the synthesis of TDH. Ethanol-shocked and unstressed cells of V. parahaemolyticus grew similarly and produced similar amounts of TDH when they were grown in TSB-3% NaCl, but slower growth and less production of TDH occurred with heat-shocked cells until after 200 min of cultivation. The growth rate and maximum growth of the unstressed, heat-shocked and ethanol-shocked cells varied with the nitrogen and carbon sources used. With the same nitrogen or carbon source, the growth patterns of the ethanol-shocked and unstressed cells were similar while the heat-shocked cells exhibited an extended lag period.