AEM
Home Help [Feedback] [For Subscribers] [Archive] [Search] [Contents]
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Urrutia Mera, M
Right arrow Articles by Beveridge, T J
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Urrutia Mera, M
Right arrow Articles by Beveridge, T J
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Urrutia Mera, M
Right arrow Articles by Beveridge, T J

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1992 December; 58(12): 3837-3844

The membrane-induced proton motive force influences the metal binding ability of Bacillus subtilis cell walls.

M Urrutia Mera, M Kemper, R Doyle and T J Beveridge

Department of Microbiology, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

ABSTRACT

Bacillus subtilis 168 is a gram-positive bacterium whose cell wall contains the highly electronegative polymers peptidoglycan (chemotype A1 gamma) and glycerol-based teichoic acid to produce a surface with a net negative charge with high metal binding capacity. During metabolism, a membrane-induced proton motive force continuously pumps protons into the wall fabric. As a result, a competition between protons and metal ions for anionic wall sites occurs, and less metal is bound in living cells than in nonliving cells or those in which the plasma membrane has been uncoupled. This was shown by using two metallic ions, UO2(2+) and Sc3+, on control cells, cells uncoupled with either carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone or NaN3, or cells killed by gamma radiation. Transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma atomic-emission spectroscopy showed that more metal was retained in the walls of nonliving cells and those with deenergized membranes than in their living counterparts.

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1992 December; 58(12): 3837-3844




This article has been cited by other articles:



Home Help [Feedback] [For Subscribers] [Archive] [Search] [Contents]
J. Bacteriol. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. Eukaryot. Cell All ASM Journals

Copyright © 1992 by the American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.