| Abstract: | Earlier it was demonstrated that the transition of E. coli K-12 cells to anaerobiosis is accompanied by the activation of K+ uptake. K+ that are additionally accumulated during the transition to anaerobiosis are released from the cells after the turning on of the respiratory chain. The K+ accumulation by the cells is potential-dependent both under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. A correlation was found between the degree of acidification of the cytoplasm and the rate of K+ uptake during the transition to anaerobiosis. It was assumed that under aerobic conditions the functioning of the electrogenic system of K+ uptake is concomitant with the operation of the K+ release system, K+/H+ antiporter, which is inactivated at the beginning of anaerobiosis, presumably as a result of cytoplasm acidification. This effect manifests itself as the activation of K+ uptake. The trigger function of the K+/H+ antiporter in E. coli cells was suggested to provide for the control of the intracellular pH as well as the switching from the aerobic to the anaerobic pathway of energy metabolism. |
