Effect of colloid gold on physiologic-biochemical processes in Escherichia coli 1257

The influence of colloid gold on the growth processes, ATP-ase activity and extrusion of protons in Escherichia coli 1257 was studied. The particles of colloid gold exert nonmonotonous influence on these processes with different direction is such a way that small concentration of this metal (5 x 10(-7)-5 x 10(-6) mg/ml) exert stimulative effect, while higher concentrations of colloid gold result in the suppression of biological activity of the bacterial cells. The discovered peculiarities of colloid gold influence of E. coli strain may be determined by specificity of contact interaction of metal particles with the surface of bacterial cells.