The characteristics of potassium ion transport across the bacterial membranes in a vaccinal culture of Francisella tularensis]

The presence of the systems of energy-dependent accumulation of potassium ions and their passive exchange for protons in cytoplasmic bacterial membranes of F. tularensis strain 15 has been demonstrated by means of a K(+)-selective electrode and the turbidimetric method. The kinetic parameters of the energy-dependent K+ transport: Km = 0.83 +/- 0.20 mM K+, Vmax = 0.23 +/- 0.04 mM K+/mg of dry weight. min. Under the conditions of anoxia F. tularensis cannot retain potassium ions in their cytoplasm, and thus they are considered to be incapable of anaerobiosis.