Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Reduction-potential of Glutathione

Abstract

THE values of the reduction-potential of GSH (Em7 at pH 7.0) measured with different methods (indicator dyes1, electric measurements2–4, equilibrium with the NADPH2/ NADP-system5,6 mixed disulphides4,7 range from − 0.35 V to + 0.04 V. The GSSG-reductases catalyse the reaction : Earlier attempts to demonstrate the back-reaction by spectrophotometric estimation of the NADPH2-formation were unsuccessful8,9. Rall and Lehninger5 calculated that the Em7 GSH cannot be more negative than − 0.13 V (with the new value of Em7 NADPH2 (ref. 10) − 0.17 V); Mapson and Isherwood6 found with the very sensitive fluorometric method the formation of very small amounts of NADPH2 (0.9 × 10−3 µmol./ml.).

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Fruton, I. S., and Clarke, H. T., J. Biol. Chem., 106, 667 (1934).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Ghosh, J. C., and Ganguli, S. C., Biochem. Z., 279, 296 (1935).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Ryklan, L. R., and Schmidt, C. L. A., Univ. Calif. Pub. Physiol., 8, 257 (1944).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Kolthoff, I. M., Stricks, W., and Kapoor, R. C., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 77, 4733 (1955).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Rall, T. W., and Lehninger, A. L., J. Biol. Chem., 194, 119 (1952).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Mapson, L. W., and Isherwood, F. A., Biochem. J., 86, 173 (1963).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Eldjarn, L., and Pihl, A., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 79, 4589 (1957).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Mapson, L. W., and Goddard, D. R., Biochem. J., 49, 592 (1951).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Conn, E. E., and Vennesland, B., J. Biol. Chem., 192, 17 (1951).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Clark, W. M., Oxidation-Reduction Potentials of Organic Systems (Baltimore, 1960).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Wagenknecht, C., and Eifler, R., Acta Biol. Med. Germ., 8, 630 (1962).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

ROST, J., RAPOPORT, S. Reduction-potential of Glutathione. Nature 201, 185 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1038/201185a0

Download citation

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/201185a0

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing