Stimulation of proline transport by cupric ion in membrane vesicles from Mycobacterium phlei.

Membrane vesicles of M. phlei actively take up proline in the absence of exogenously provided electron donors. Evidence is provided that endogenous transport is coupled to the oxidation-reduction of low-potential electron carriers, but does not involve the cytochromes. The endogenous transport was found to be enhanced under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions by the addition of certain artificial electron acceptors such as Cu²⁺.