α -Ketoglutarate accumulation is not dependent on isocitrate dehydrogenase activity during tellurite detoxification in Escherichia coli.

Tellurite is toxic to most microorganisms because of its ability to generate oxidative stress. However, the way in which tellurite interferes with cellular processes is not fully understood to date. In this line, it was previously shown that tellurite-exposed cells displayed reduced activity of the α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (α-KGDH), which resulted in α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) accumulation.

Tellurite-exposed Escherichia coli exhibits increased intracellular α-ketoglutarate.

The tellurium oxyanion tellurite is toxic to most organisms because of its ability to generate oxidative stress. However, the detailed mechanism(s) how this toxicant interferes with cellular processes have yet to be fully understood. As part of our effort to decipher the molecular interactions of tellurite with living systems, we have evaluated the global metabolism of α-ketoglutarate a known antioxidant in Escherichia coli.