Oxidative phosphorylation by isolated membrane vesicles from Bacillus megaterium and its uncoupler-resistant mutant derivative

ATP synthesis was studied in ADP + Pi-loaded, right-side-out membrane vesicles from Bacillus megaterium and its uncoupler-resistant mutant strain, C8. Upon energization with ascorbate/phenazine methosulfate, more ATP synthesis was observed in C8 vesicles than in those from the wild type. ATP synthesis by C8 vesicles was more resistant to low levels (0.5-1.0 microM) of carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone than was synthesis by wild type vesicles, whereas synthesis by both preparations was completely inhibited by N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. Upon energization by a valinomycin-induced potassium diffusion potential, vesicles from the wild type strain synthesized more ATP than vesicles from C8, but that synthesis was still lower than observed with electron donors. The results indicate that the characteristic bioenergetic properties exhibited by whole cells of C8 are retained in a vesicle system and thus cannot be attributed to a cytoplasmic, substrate level activity. Interestingly, lipophilic cations that were efficacious in measuring the transmembrane electrical potential of whole cells appeared to accurately measure artificially generated potentials across vesicle membranes, but were not taken up upon addition of ascorbate/phenazine methosulfate.     

Characterization of the Na+/H+ antiporter of alkalophilic bacilli in vivo: delta psi-dependent 22Na+ efflux from whole cells.

The Na+/H+ antiporter of Bacillus alcalophilus was studied by measuring 22Na+ efflux from starved, cyanide-inhibited cells which were energized by means of a valinomycin-induced potassium diffusion potential, positive out (delta psi). In the absence of a delta psi, 22Na+ efflux at pH 9.0 was slow and appreciably inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide. Upon imposition of a delta psi, a very rapid rate of 22Na+ efflux occurred. This rapid rate of 22Na+ efflux was competitively inhibited by Li+ and varied directly with the magnitude of the delta psi. Kinetic experiments with B. alcalophilus and alkalophilic Bacillus firmus RAB indicated that the delta psi caused a pronounced increase in the Vmax for 22Na+ efflux. The Km values for Na+ were unaffected by the delta psi. Upon imposition of a delta psi at pH 7.0, a retardation of the slow 22Na+ efflux rate at pH 7.0 was caused by the delta psi. This showed that inactivity of the Na+/H+ antiporter at pH 7.0 was not secondary to a low delta psi generated by respiration at this pH. Indeed, 22Na+ efflux activity appeared to be inhibited by a relatively high internal proton concentration. By contrast, at a constant internal pH, there was little variation in the activity at external pH values from 7.0 to 9.0; at an external pH of 10.0, the rate of 22Na+ efflux declined. This decline at typical pH values for growth may be due to an insufficiency of protons when a diffusion potential rather than respiration is the driving force. Non-alkalophilic mutant strains of B. alcalophilus and B. firmus RAB exhibited a slow rate of 22Na+ efflux which was not enhanced by a delta psi at either pH 7.0 or 9.0.     

Features of apparent nonchemiosmotic energization of oxidative phosphorylation by alkaliphilic Bacillus firmus OF4.

Oxidative phosphorylation by extremely alkaliphilic Bacillus species violates two major predictions of the chemiosmotic hypothesis: the magnitude of the chemiosmotic driving force, the delta p (electrochemical proton gradient), is too low to account for the phosphorylation potentials observed during growth at pH 10.5 without using a much higher H+/ATP stoichiometry than used during growth at pH 7.5, and artificially imposed diffusion potentials fail to energize ATP synthesis above about pH 9.5 (Guffanti, A. A., and Krulwich, T. A. (1989) Annu. Rev. Microbiol. 43, 435-463). To further examine the latter observation, large valinomycin-mediated potassium diffusion potentials were imposed across starved cells of Bacillus firmus OF4 at various pH values from pH 7.5 to 10.5. As the external pH increased above pH 8, there was a sharp decrease in the rate of ATP synthesis in response to an imposed diffusion potential. The rate of ATP synthesis fell to zero by pH 9.2 and 9.4, respectively, in the presence and absence of a small inwardly directed Na+ gradient. Electrogenic Na+/H+ antiport and Na+/alpha-aminoisobutyric acid symport proceeded at substantial rates throughout. When synthesis was energized by an electron donor, cells under comparable conditions synthesized ATP at rapid rates up to pH 10.5. The proton transfers that occur during respiration-dependent oxidative phosphorylation at pH 10.5 may depend upon specific complexes. Cells grown at pH 7.5, which have one-third the levels of the caa3-type terminal oxidase, and slightly lower levels of certain other respiratory chain complexes than pH 10.5-grown cells, support only low rates of ATP synthesis at pH 10.5, although energy-dependent symport and antiport rates are comparable with those in pH 10.5-grown cells. A model is presented for oxidative phosphorylation by the alkaliphilic Bacillus that involves a nonchemiosmotic direct intramembrane transfer of protons from specific respiratory chain complexes to the F0 sector of the ATPase, whereas remaining respiratory chain complexes extrude protons into the bulk to generate the bulk potential required both for ATP synthesis and other bioenergetic work. A pK-regulated gate or a delocalized proton pathway that fails to work above pH 9.5 are suggested as possible features that account for the loss of efficacy of a bulk-imposed diffusion potential in energizing ATP synthesis above pH 9.4.     

Energy-linked activities in reconstituted yeast adenosine triphosphatase proteoliposome. Adenosine triphosphate formation coupled with electron flow between ascorbate and ferricyanide.

(1) Conditions are described wherein the yeast oligomycin-sensitive adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) complex can be reconstituted together with phospholipids to yield extremely high rates of ATP-³²P_j exchange. The vesicles so formed exhibit proton uptake upon addition of Mg²⁺-ATP and a relatively slow decay of the proton gradient. (2) The stimulation of ATP-³²P_i exchange by valinomycin + K⁺ reported previously (Ryrie, I. J. (1975) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 168, 704–711) is apparently not simply due to a diffusion potential. The findings suggest that an electroimpelled, valinomycin-dependent migration of K⁺ may occur together with the electrogenic movements of protons during ATP hydrolysis and synthesis to establish optimal energized conditions for ATP-³²P_i exchange. (3) An artificial oxidative phosphorylation system in the reconstituted vesicles is described: [³²P]ATP formation from ADP and ³²P_i is shown to be linked with electron flow between external ascorbate and internal ferricyanide where a permeable proton carrier, such as phenazine methosulfate, is used to establish a proton gradient. That the yeast ATPase is capable of net ATP synthesis has also been demonstrated in a light-dependent reaction using ATPase proteoliposomes reconstituted together with bacteriorhodopsin.     

Bioenergetic properties of alkalophilic Bacillus sp. strain C-59 on an alkaline medium containing K2CO3.

Alkalophilic Bacillus sp. strain C-59 could grow well on an alkaline medium containing K2CO3, as well as Na2CO3, but did not grow on K+-depleted medium. Right-side-out membrane vesicles, energized in the absence of Na+, however, could not take up [14C]methylamine actively, while vesicles equilibrated with 10 mM NaCl actively took up [14C]methylamine. The uptake of [14C]serine was also stimulated by the addition of Na+, and the imposition of a sodium gradient caused transient uptake. These results indicated that an Na+/H+ antiporter was involved in pH homeostasis and generation of an electrochemical sodium gradient in strain C-59 even though a growth requirement for Na+ was not evident. The efflux of 22Na+ from 22Na+-loaded vesicles was more rapid at pH 9.5 than at pH 7 in the presence of an electron donor. On the other hand, vesicles at pH 7 showed more rapid efflux than at pH 9.5 when the antiporter was energized by a valinomycin-mediated K+ diffusion potential (inside negative).     

A specific adaptation in the a subunit of thermoalkaliphilic F1FO-ATP synthase enables ATP synthesis at high pH but not at neutral pH values

Analysis of the atp operon from the thermoalkaliphilic Bacillus sp. TA2.A1 and comparison with other atp operons from alkaliphilic bacteria reveals the presence of a conserved lysine residue at position 180 (Bacillus sp. TA2.A1 numbering) within the a subunit of these F(1)F(o)-ATP synthases. We hypothesize that the basic nature of this residue is ideally suited to capture protons from the bulk phase at high pH. To test this hypothesis, a heterologous expression system for the ATP synthase from Bacillus sp. TA2.A1 (TA2F(1)F(o)) was developed in Escherichia coli DK8 (Deltaatp). Amino acid substitutions were made in the a subunit of TA2F(1)F(o) at position 180. Lysine (aK180) was substituted for the basic residues histidine (aK180H) or arginine (aK180R), and the uncharged residue glycine (aK180G). ATP synthesis experiments were performed in ADP plus P(i)-loaded right-side-out membrane vesicles energized by ascorbate-phenazine methosulfate. When these enzyme complexes were examined for their ability to perform ATP synthesis over the pH range from 7.0 to 10.0, TA2F(1)F(o) and aK180R showed a similar pH profile having optimum ATP synthesis rates at pH 9.0-9.5 with no measurable ATP synthesis at pH 7.5. Conversely, aK180H and aK180G showed maximal ATP synthesis at pH values 8.0 and 7.5, respectively. ATP synthesis under these conditions for all enzyme forms was sensitive to DCCD. These data strongly imply that amino acid residue Lys(180) is a specific adaptation within the a subunit of TA2F(1)F(o) to facilitate proton capture at high pH. At pH values near the pK(a) of Lys(180), the trapped protons readily dissociate to reach the subunit c binding sites, but this dissociation is impeded at neutral pH values causing either a blocking of the proposed H(+) channel and/or mechanism of proton translocation, and hence ATP synthesis is inhibited.     

Bioenergetic properties and viability of alkalophilic Bacillus firmus RAB as a function of pH and Na+ contents of the incubation medium.

The bioenergetic properties and viability of obligately alkalophilic Bacillus firmus RAB have been examined upon incubation in alkaline and neutral buffers in the presence or absence of added Na+. At pH 10.5, cells incubated in the absence of Na+ exhibited an immediate rise in cytoplasmic pH from less than 9.5 to 10.5, and they lost viability very rapidly. Viability experiments in the presence or absence of an energy source further suggested that the Na+-dependent mechanism for pH homeostasis is an energy-requiring function. The Na+/H+ antiporter, which catalyzes the vital proton accumulation at alkaline pH, was only slightly operational at pH 7.0; both whole cells and vesicles exhibited net proton extrusion even in the presence of Na+. Moreover, cells incubated in buffer at pH 7.0 were actually more viable in the presence of Na+ than in its absence. Thus, the inability of B. firmus RAB to grow at neutral pH is not due to excessive acidification of the cytoplasm. Rather, the transmembrane electrical potential, delta psi, generated at pH 7.0 was found to be much lower than at alkaline pH. The very low delta psi compromised several cell functions, e.g., Na+/solute symport and motility, which in this and other alkalophiles specifically depend upon delta psi and Na+.     

ATP synthesis is driven by an imposed delta pH or delta mu H+ but not by an imposed delta pNa+ or delta mu Na+ in alkalophilic Bacillus firmus OF4 at high pH

Starved whole cells of alkalophilic Bacillus firmus OF4 that are equilibrated at either pH 10.2, 9.5, or 8.5 synthesize ATP in response to a pH gradient that is imposed by rapid dilution of the cyanide-treated cells into buffer at pH 7.5. If a valinomycin-mediated potassium diffusion potential (positive out) is generated simultaneously with the pH gradient, then the rate of ATP synthesis and the level of synthesis achieved is much higher than upon imposition of a pH gradient alone. By contrast, imposition of a large chemical gradient of Na+, either in the presence or absence of a concomitant diffusion potential, fails to result in ATP synthesis. We conclude that this organism does not possess a sodium-motive ATPase that can be made to synthesize detectable levels of ATP by imposition of a suitably large chemical or electrochemical gradient of Na+. On the other hand, a proton-translocating ATPase is in evidence when protons are provided at very high pH, corroborating our earlier work on extremely alkalophilic bacilli. Oxidative phosphorylation must, then, be catalyzed in these organisms by a proton-translocating ATPase even though the putative bulk driving forces for such a catalyst are low under optimal growth conditions. Stable, imposed pH gradients of 1 unit, comparable to the magnitude of the total electrochemical proton gradient of growing cells, result in much lower ATP concentrations than observed in such cells. We hypothesize that ATP synthesis in growing cells utilizes protons that are made available by some localized pathway between proton pumps and the ATP synthase.     

Cyanine dye as monitor of membrane potentials in Escherichia coli cells and membrane vesicles.

The fluorescence response of a positively charged cyanine dye: 3,3'-dimethylindodicarbocyanine iodide can be specifically related to the generation in Escherichia coli cells and E. coli membrane vesicles of an electrical membrane potential induced either by substrate oxidation or by an artificially imposed potassium diffusion gradient. The energy-dependent quenching of the dye fluorescence correlates well with the known effect on delta phi of: oxidation of various energy sources, external pH and solute accumulation. Thus, in the vesicles, the fluorescence quenching of the dye increases from succinate to D-lactate, to ascorbate/phenazine methosulfate and parallels the increasing ability of these electron donors to generate a delta phi. In the vesicles, delta phi is only weakly dependent on external pH, whereas in the cells, delta phi increases with increasing external pH. Lactose accumulation in the vesicles results in the partial utilization of delta phi. A calibration of the dye fluorescence in terms of delta phi has been determined using valinomycin-induced potassium diffusion potential.     

Kinetic properties of electrogenic Na+/H+ antiport in membrane vesicles from an alkalophilic Bacillus sp.

The effects of imposed proton motive force on the kinetic properties of the alkalophilic Bacillus sp. strain N-6 Na+/H+ antiport system have been studied by looking at the effect of delta psi (membrane potential, interior negative) and/or delta pH (proton gradient, interior alkaline) on Na+ efflux or H+ influx in right-side-out membrane vesicles. Imposed delta psi increased the Na+ efflux rate (V) linearly, and the slope of V versus delta psi was higher at pH 9 than at pH 8. Kinetic experiments indicated that the delta psi caused a pronounced increase in the Vmax for Na+ efflux, whereas the Km values for Na+ were unaffected by the delta psi. As the internal H+ concentration increased, the Na+ efflux reaction was inhibited. This inhibition resulted in an increase in the apparent Km of the Na+ efflux reaction. These results have also been observed in delta pH-driven Na+ efflux experiments. When Na(+)-loaded membrane vesicles were energized by means of a valinomycin-induced inside-negative K+ diffusion potential, the generated acidic-interior pH gradients could be detected by changes in 9-aminoacridine fluorescence. The results of H+ influx experiments showed a good coincidence with those of Na+ efflux. H+ influx was enhanced by an increase of delta psi or internal Na+ concentration and inhibited by high internal H+ concentration. These results are consistent with our previous contentions that the Na+/H+ antiport system of this strain operates electrogenically and plays a central role in pH homeostasis at the alkaline pH range.     

Oxidative phosphorylation by membrane vesicles from Bacillus alcalophilus

ADP and Pi-loaded membrane vesicles from t-malate-grown Bacillus alcalophilus synthesized ATP upon energization with ascorbate/N,N,N',N'-tetra-methyl-P-phenylenediamine. ATP synthesis occurred over a range of external pH from 6.0 to 11.0, under conditions in which the total protonmotive force delta-mu-H+ was as low as -30 mV. The phosphate potentials (delta Gp) were calculated to be 11 and 12 kcal/mol at pH 10.5 and 9.0, respectively, whereas the delta-mu-H+ values in vesicles at these two pH values were quite different (-40 +/- 20 mV at pH 10.5 and -125 +/- 20 mV at pH 9.0). ATP synthesis was inhibited by KCN, gramicidin, and by N,N1-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. Inward translocation of protons, concomitant with ATP synthesis, was demonstrated using direct pH monitoring and fluorescence methods. No dependence upon the presence of Na+ or K+ was found. Thus, ATP synthesis in B. alcalophilus appears to involve a proton-translocating ATPase which functions at low delta-mu-H+.     

Functional mosaicism of membrane proteins in vesicles of Escherichia coli.

Membrane vesicles of Escherichia coli prepared by osmotic lysis of lysozyme ethylenediaminetetracetate (EDTA) spheroplasts have approximately 60% of the total membrane-bound reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) dehydrogenase (ED 1.6.99.3) and Mg2+-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) (EC 3.6.1.3) activities exposed on the outer surface of the inner membrane. Absorption of these vesicles with antiserum prepared against the purified soluble Mg2+-ATPase resulted in agglutination of approximately 95% of the inner membrane vesicles, as determined by dehydrogenase activity, and about 50% of the total membrane protein. The unagglutinated vesicles lacked all dehydrogenase activity and may consist of outer membrane. Lysozyme-EDTA vesicles actively transported calcium ion, using either NADH or adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) as energy source. However, neither D-lactate nor reduced phenazine methosulfate energized calcium uptake, suggesting that the observed calcium uptake was not due to a small population of everted vesicles. Transport of calcium driven by either NADH or ATP was inhibited by simultaneous addition of D-lactate or reduced phenazine methosulfate. Proline transport driven by D-lactate oxidation was inhibited by either NADH oxidation or ATP hydrolysis. These results suggest that the portion of the total population of vesicles capable of active transport, i.e., the inner membrane vesicles, are functionally a homogeneous population but cannot be categorized as either right-side-out or everted, since activities normally associated with only one side of the inner membrane can be found on both sides of the membrane of these vesicles. Moreover, the data indicate that oxidation of NADH or hydrolysis of ATP by externally localized NADH dehydrogenase or Mg2+-ATPase establishes a protonmotive force of the opposite polarity from that established through D-lactate oxidation.     

Proton-linked D-xylose transport in Escherichia coli.

The addition of xylose to energy-depleted cells of Escherichia coli elicited an alkaline pH change which failed to appear in the presence of uncoupling agents. Accumulation of [14C]xylose by energy-replete cells was also inhibited by uncoupling agents, but not by fluoride or arsenate. Subcellular vesicles of E. coli accumulated [14C]xylose provided that ascorbate plus phenazine methosulfate were present for respiration, and this accumulation was inhibited by uncoupling agents or valinomycin. Therefore, the transport of xylose into E. coli appears to be energized by a proton-motive force, rather than by a phosphotransferase or directly energized mechanism. Its specificity for xylose as inducer and substrate and the genetic location of a xylose-H+ transport-negative mutation near mtl showed that the xylose-H+ system is distinct from other proton-linked sugar transport systems of E. coli.     

Role of Na+ cycle in cell volume regulation of Mycoplasma gallisepticum.

The mechanism for the extrusion of Na+ from Mycoplasma gallisepticum cells was examined. Na+ efflux from cells was studied by diluting 22Na+-loaded cells into an isoosmotic NaCl solution and measuring the residual 22Na+ in the cells. Uphill 22Na+ efflux was found to be glucose dependent and linear with time over a 60-s period and showed almost the same rate in the pH range of 6.5 to 8.0. 22Na+ efflux was markedly inhibited by dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD, 10 microM), but not by the proton-conducting ionophores SF6847 (0.5 microM) or carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP, 10 microM) over the entire pH range tested. An ammonium diffusion potential and a pH gradient were created by diluting intact cells or sealed membrane vesicles of M. gallisepticum loaded with NH4Cl into a choline chloride solution. The imposed H+ gradient (inside acid) was not affected by the addition of either NaCl or KCl to the medium. Dissipation of the proton motive force by CCCP had no effect on the growth of M. gallisepticum in the pH range of 7.2 to 7.8 in an Na+-rich medium. Additionally, energized M. gallisepticum cells were stable in an isoosmotic NaCl solution, even in the presence of proton conductors, whereas nonenergized cells tended to swell and lyse. These results show that in M. gallisepticum Na+ movement was neither driven nor inhibited by the collapse of the electrochemical gradient of H+, suggesting that in this organism Na+ is extruded by an electrogenic primary Na+ pump rather than by an Na+-H+ exchange system energized by the proton motive force.     

Energy coupling sites in the electron transport chain of Zymomonas mobilis

Abstract Energy-coupling sites in the electron transport chain of the obligately fermentative aerotolerant bacterium Zymomonas mobilis were examined. The H⁺ /O stoichiometry of the electron transport chain in intact bacteria oxidizing ethanol was close to 3.3. Cytoplasmic membrane vesicles coupled NADH oxidation to ATP synthesis. With ascorbate/phenazine methosulfate they showed oxygen uptake which was sensitive to antimycin A, but no significant ATP synthesis could be detected. Cells with a defective coupling site I, prepared by cultivation on a sulfate-deficient medium, showed a decreased rotenone sensitivity of respiration, and they lacked almost all the respiration-driven proton translocation and ATP synthesis. We conclude that, despite the reported composition of the electron transport chain, only energy coupling site 1 was functional in Z. mobilis .     

Characteristics of tripeptide transport in human jejunal brush-border membrane vesicles

These studies are aimed at characterizing the transport of the tripeptide, glycylglycyl-L-proline (GlyGlyPro) across human jejunal brush-border membrane vesicles. GlyGlyPro (0.65 mM) was hydrolyzed by brush-border membrane vesicles with the extent of hydrolysis per mg protein being 23% at 0.5 min, 57% at 1 min and complete hydrolysis at 60 min. Treatment of the membrane vesicles with gel-complexed papain (to remove membrane peptidases) resulted in minimal hydrolysis of GlyGlyPro up to 10 min of incubation. Measurement of GlyGlyPro influx with papain-treated vesicles in the presence of increasing medium osmolarity showed that uptake occurred into an osmotically reactive intravesicular space. Transport of GlyGlyPro with normal and papain-treated membrane vesicles was similar in the presence of an inward Na+ or K+ gradient. No overshoot phenomenon was observed in the presence of an inward proton gradient (extravesicular pH 5.5; intravesicular pH 7.5). An interior negative membrane potential induced by a K+ diffusion potential in the presence of valinomycin stimulated the uptake of the peptide. The effect of increasing concentrations on initial rates of GlyGlyPro uptake revealed the presence of a saturable component as well as a diffusional component. Preloading the membrane vesicles with 20 mM glycylsarcosylsarcosine stimulated uptake by 4-fold. Uptake of GlyGlyPro was inhibited greater than 50% by dipeptides and tripeptides and less than 15% by free amino acids. These results indicate that GlyGlyPro uptake in jejunal brush-border membrane vesicles is not energized by a Na+ or proton gradient and that transport occurs by carrier-mediated and diffusional processes.     

Photoinactivation of photophosphorylation and dark ATPase in Rhodospirillum rubrum chromatophores.

Preillumination of Rhodospirillum rubrum chromatophores with strong, far-red light in the presence of phenazine methosulfate under non-phosphorylation conditions results in a selective, irreversible inactivation (typically about 70%) of photophosphorylation and of uncoupler-stimulated dark ATPase. The time course of the photoinactivation is similar to the light-on kinetics of the light-induced proton uptake in the absence of ADP. Only little photoinactivation occurs when the uncoupler carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone is present or when phenazine methosulfate is absent during the preillumination, indicating that the reaction occurs only when the membrane is energized. Phosphorylation conditions offer a practically complete protection against the photoinactivation. Inorganic phosphate, Mg2+ or ADP do not provide a significant protection against the photoinactivation, nor does ATP. The pH-dependence of the reaction(s) leading to photoinactivation may indicate that a partial reaction of the photophosphorylation process (perhaps only a conformational change of the coupling factor) precedes the photoinactivation.     

Photoinactivation of photophosphorylation and dark ATPase in Rhodospirillum rubrum chromatophores

Preillumination of Rhodospirillum rubrum chromatophores with strong, far-red light in the presence of phenazine methosulfate under non-phosphorylation conditions results in a selective, irreversible inactivation (typically about 70%) of photophosphorylation and of uncoupler-stimulated dark ATPase. The time course of the photoinactivation is similar to the light-on kinetics of the light-induced proton uptake in the absence of ADP. Only little photoinactivation occurs when the uncoupler carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone is present or when phenazine methosulfate is absent during the preillumination, indicating that the reaction occurs only when the membrane is energized.

Phosphorylation conditions offer a practically complete protection against the photoinactivation. Inorganic phosphate, Mg²⁺ or ADP do not provide a significant protection against the photoinactivation, nor does ATP. The pH-dependence of the reaction(s) leading to photoinactivation may indicate that a partial reaction of the photophosphorylation process (perhaps only a conformational change of the coupling factor) precedes the photoinactivation.     

The electrochemical proton gradient in Escherichia coli membrane vesicles.

Membrane vesicles isolated from Escherichia coli grown under various conditions generate a transmembrane pH gradient (delta pH) of about 2 pH units (interior alkaline) under appropriate conditions when assayed by flow dialysis. Using the distribution of weak acids to measure delta pH and the distribution of the lipophilic cation triphenylmethylphosphonium to measure the electrical potential (delta psi) across the membrane, the vesicles are demonstrated to develop an electrochemical proton gradient (delta-muH+) of almost - 200 mV (interior negative and alkaline) at pH 5.5 in the presence of reduced phenazine methosulfate or D-lactate, the major component of which is a deltapH of about - 120 mV. As external pH is increased, deltapH decreases, reaching 0 at about pH 7.5 and above, while delta psi remains at about - 75 mV and internal pH remains at pH 7.5-7.8. The variations in deltapH correlate with changes in the oxidation of reduced phenazine methosulfate or D-lactate, both of which vary with external pH in a manner similar to that described for deltapH. Finally, deltapH and delta psi can be varied reciprocally in the presence of valinomycin and nigericin with little change in delta-muH+ and no change in respiratory activity. These data and those presented in the following paper (Ramos and Kaback 1976) provide strong support for the role of chemiosmotic phenomena in active transport and extend certain aspects of the chemiosmotic hypothesis.     

Adenosine 5''-triphosphate synthesis driven by a protonmotive force in membrane vesicles of Escherichia coli.

Adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) synthesis energized by an artificially imposed protonmotive force (delta p) in adenosine 5'-diphosphate-loaded membrane vesicles of Escherichia coli was investigated. The protonmotive force is composed of an artificially imposed pH gradient (delta pH) or membrane potential (deltapsi), or both. A delta pH was established by a rapid alteration of the pH of the assay medium. A delta psi was created by the establishment of diffusion potential of K+ in the presence of valinomycin. The maximal amount of ATP synthesized was 0.4 to 0.5 nmol/mg of membrane protein when energized by a delta pH and 0.2 to 0.3 nmol/mg of membrane protein when a delta psi was imposed. Simultaneous imposition of both a delta pH and delta psi resulted in the formation of greater amounts of ATP (0.8 nmol/mg of membrane protein) than with either alone. The amount of ATP synthesized was roughly proportional to the magnitude of the artificially imposed delta p. Although p-chloromercuribenzoate, 2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide, or NaCN each inhibits oxidation of D-lactate, and thus oxidative phosphorylation, none inhibited ATP synthesis driven by an artificially imposed delta p. Membrane vesicles prepared from uncA or uncB strains, which are defective in oxidative phosphorylation, likewise were unable to catalyze ATP synthesis when energy was supplied by an artificially imposed delta p.