Extracellular generation of active oxygen species catalyzed by exogenous menadione in yeast cell suspension.

Luminol chemiluminescence was observed by addition of menadione to yeast cell suspension and was amplified 1000-fold by further addition of Fe-complex. Catalase, superoxide dismutase and ceruloplasmin had inhibitory effects on luminol chemiluminescence, indicating the extracellular generation of active oxygens (H2O2 and O2-) and reduction of Fe-complex. The generation of H2O2 and reduction of Fe-complex were mainly dependent on the activity of NADH: menadione oxidoreductase in the plasma membrane and cytosol fractions. Both luminol chemiluminescence and H2O2 production were sensitive to the inhibitory effects of proton conductor, ionophorous antibiotics and ATPase inhibitor rather than the inhibitors of the mitochondria electron transport system. The incubation of glucose with yeast cells caused a parallel increase in luminol chemiluminescence, H2O2 production and intracellular NADH concentration. These facts suggest that menadione-catalyzed H2O2 production and chemiluminescence are used as the indicators of cell activity to keep the NADH concentration and NADH: menadione oxidoreductase activity which may be sensitive to the change in pH and ion concentrations.