Possible role of superoxide dismutases in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae under respiratory conditions

We have analyzed the activity of antioxidant and tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes as well as protein carbonyl content in budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells grown in medium with glycerol using wild-strain cells and defective mutants in superoxide dismutases (SODs). The present report demonstrates that the activity of catalase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glutathione reductase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, and malate dehydrogenase, on average, was lower in the strains lacking SODs than that in the parental strain. On the other hand, under conditions used in this study, the content of carbonyl groups in proteins was relatively higher in the wild type as compared with SOD-defective strains. It may be suggested that in vivo SOD can demonstrate protective as well as pro-oxidant properties, and the final result depends on particular conditions.