Energy transduction and solute transport in streptococci

Role of the Escherichia coli FocA and FocB formate channels in controlling proton/potassium fluxes and hydrogen production during osmotic stress in energy-limited, stationary phase fermenting cells

Escherichia coli FocA and FocB formate channels export formate or import it for further disproportionation by the formate hydrogenlyase (FHL) complex to H2 and CO2. Here, we show that under pH and osmotic stress FocA and FocB play important roles in regulating proton and potassium fluxes and couple this with H2 production in stationary-phase cells. Using whole-cell assays with glucose as electron donor, a focB mutant showed a 50 % decrease in VH2, while N'N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD) treatment of osmotically stressed cells underlined the role of FOF1 ATPase in H2 production. At pH 7.5 and under osmotic stress FocB contributed to the proton flux but not to the potassium flux. At pH 5.5 both formate channels contributed to the proton and potassium fluxes. Particulalry, a focA mutant had 40 % lower potassium flux whereas the proton flux increased approximately two-fold. Moreover, at pH 5.5H2 production was totally inhibited by DCCD in the focA mutant. Taken together, our results suggest that depending on external pH, the formate channels play an important role in osmoregulation by helping to balance proton/potassium fluxes and H2 production, and thus assist the proton FOF1-ATPase in maintenance of ion gradients in fermenting stationary-phase cells.

Investigating the Role of β-Disodium Glycerophosphate and Urea in Promoting Growth of Streptococcus thermophilus from Omics-Integrated Genome-Scale Models

This study investigates the impact of urea and β-GP on the growth of Streptococcus thermophilus S-3, a bacterium commonly used in industrial fermentation processes. Through a series of growth experiments, transcriptome, metabolome, and omics-based analyses, the research demonstrates that both urea and β-GP can enhance the biomass of S. thermophilus, with urea showing a more significant effect. The optimal urea concentration for growth was determined to be 3 g/L in M17 medium. The study also highlights the metabolic pathways influenced by urea and β-GP, particularly the galactose metabolism pathway, which is crucial for cell growth when lactose is the substrate. The integration of omics data into the genome-scale metabolic model of S. thermophilus, iCH502, allowed for a more accurate prediction of metabolic fluxes and growth rates. The study concludes that urea can serve as a viable substitute for β-GP in the cultivation of S. thermophilus, offering potential cost and efficiency benefits in industrial fermentation processes. The findings are supported by validation experiments with 11 additional strains of S. thermophilus, which showed increased biomass in UM17 medium.

Evidence for bidirectional formic acid translocation in vivo via the Escherichia coli formate channel FocA

Pentameric FocA permeates either formate or formic acid bidirectionally across the cytoplasmic membrane of anaerobically growing Escherichia coli. Each protomer of FocA has its own hydrophobic pore, but it is unclear whether formate or neutral formic acid is translocated in vivo. Here, we measured total and dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD)-inhibited proton flux out of resting, fermentatively grown, stationary-phase E. coli cells in dependence on FocA. Using a wild-type strain synthesizing native FocA, it was shown that using glucose as a source of formate, DCCD-independent proton efflux was ∼2.5 mmol min-1, while a mutant lacking FocA showed only DCCD-inhibited, FOF1-ATPase-dependent proton-efflux. A strain synthesizing a chromosomally-encoded FocAH209N variant that functions exclusively to translocate formic acid out of the cell, showed a further 20 % increase in FocA-dependent proton efflux relative to the parental strain. Cells synthesizing a FocAT91A variant, which is unable to translocate formic acid out of the cell, showed only DCCD-inhibited proton efflux. When exogenous formate was added, formic acid uptake was shown to be both FocA- and proton motive force-dependent. By measuring rates of H2 production, potassium ion flux and ATPase activity, these data support a role for coupling between formate, proton and K+ ion translocation in maintaining pH and ion gradient homeostasis during fermentation. FocA thus plays a key role in maintaining this homeostatic balance in fermenting cells by bidirectionally translocating formic acid.

Molecular mechanisms of inhibiting glucosyltransferases for biofilm formation in Streptococcus mutans

Glucosyltransferases (Gtfs) play critical roles in the etiology and pathogenesis of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans)- mediated dental caries including early childhood caries. Gtfs enhance the biofilm formation and promotes colonization of cariogenic bacteria by generating biofilm extracellular polysaccharides (EPSs), the key virulence property in the cariogenic process. Therefore, Gtfs have become an appealing target for effective therapeutic interventions that inhibit cariogenic biofilms. Importantly, targeting Gtfs selectively impairs the S. mutans virulence without affecting S. mutans existence or the existence of other species in the oral cavity. Over the past decade, numerous Gtfs inhibitory molecules have been identified, mainly including natural and synthetic compounds and their derivatives, antibodies, and metal ions. These therapeutic agents exert their inhibitory role in inhibiting the expression gtf genes and the activities and secretion of Gtfs enzymes with a wide range of sensitivity and effectiveness. Understanding molecular mechanisms of inhibiting Gtfs will contribute to instructing drug combination strategies, which is more effective for inhibiting Gtfs than one drug or class of drugs. This review highlights our current understanding of Gtfs activities and their potential utility, and discusses challenges and opportunities for future exploration of Gtfs as a therapeutic target.

Profiles of Streptococcus thermophilus MN-ZLW-002 nutrient requirements in controlled pH batch fermentations

This study aimed to evaluate the profiles of Streptococcus thermophilus nutrient requirements to guide the design of media for high cell density culturing. The growth kinetics, physiological state, and nutrient requirement profiles of S. thermophilus were analyzed in chemically defined media. The results showed that the intracellular ATP concentration, H⁺‐ATPase activity, NADH/NAD⁺, and NH₃ concentrations varied with intracellular pH. The nutrient components with the highest amounts required were Leu and Asp; ascorbic acid and p‐amino benzoic acid; K⁺ and PO₄³⁻; and guanine and uracil. The nutrient components with the largest required ratios were Arg, His, and Met; folic acid, cyanocobalamine, biotin, and nicotinic acid; Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺; and guanine and uracil. In this study, different nutrient components were primarily used at different phase. Trp, Tyr, calcium pantothenate, thiamine, guanine, and Mg²⁺ were mainly used from late‐lag to midexponential phase. Met, Pro, Phe, Ala, Gly, nicotinic acid, and riboflavin were mainly used from midexponential to late‐exponential phase. The highest bioavailabilities of nutrient components were also found at diverse phase. Met, Leu, Ile, Asn, Glu, Lys, Pro, Gly, riboflavin, nicotinic acid, adenine, uracil, inosine, and Ca²⁺ had the highest bioavailability from late‐lag to midexponential phase. Lactose, Glu, Asp, His, Trp, Cys, Val, Arg, Phe, Ala, Ser, Thr, Tyr, folate and cobalamin, calcium pantothenate, ascorbic acid, thiamine, biotin, p‐amino benzoic acid, vitamin B₆, K⁺, Mg²⁺, guanine, xanthine, and PO₄³⁻ had the highest bioavailability from midexponential to late‐exponential phase. This study elucidated the nutrient requirement profiles with culture time and biomass at various average growth rates during the growth of S. thermophilus. The present results will help to formulate complex media for high cell density cultivation and provide the theoretical basis for S. thermophilus feeding strategies.

Influence of arginine on the growth, arginine metabolism and amino acid consumption profiles of Streptococcus thermophilus T1C2 in controlled pH batch fermentations

AIMS

The aim of this study was to elucidate the effect of arginine on the growth, arginine metabolism and amino acid consumption profiles of Streptococcus thermophilus T1C2.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The growth kinetics, intracellular pH, extracellular osmotic pressure, expression of key genes in the arginine metabolism pathway and amino acid consumption profiles were analysed in chemically defined medium with different initial arginine concentrations. The results showed that arginine stimulated the growth of Strep. thermophilus T1C2 under low intracellular pH and high extracellular osmotic pressure. The expression of key genes in the arginine degradation pathway indicated that arginine relieved the drop in the intracellular pH by consuming protons and generating NH3 . Additionally, the results showed that arginine degradation did not occur via the arginine deiminase pathway but through the arginine decarboxylase-urease pathway. Furthermore, the utilization efficiency of amino acids was improved in the presence of arginine.

CONCLUSIONS

Arginine improved the growth of Strep. thermophilus due to protecting Strep. thermophilus against intracellular acid stress, which was revealed at the transcriptional level of key genes. This study showed that the acid resistance of Strep. thermophilus was achieved through the arginine decarboxylase-urease pathway.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The arginine-stimulated growth of Strep. thermophilus improved the utilization efficiency of amino acids and reduced nitrogen waste, which could be useful for the optimization of cultivation media.

Stress-triggered signaling affecting survival or suicide of Streptococcus pneumoniae

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major human pathogen that can survive to stress conditions, such as the acidic environment of inflammatory foci, and tolerates lethal pH through a mechanism known as the acid tolerance response. We previously described that S. pneumoniae activates acidic-stress induced lysis in response to acidified environments, favoring the release of cell wall compounds, DNA and virulence factors. Here, we demonstrate that F(0)F(1)-ATPase is involved in the response to acidic stress. Chemical inhibitors (DCCD, optochin) of this proton pump repressed the ATR induction, but caused an increased ASIL. Confirming these findings, mutants of the subunit c of this enzyme showed the same phenotypes as inhibitors. Importantly, we demonstrated that F(0)F(1)-ATPase and ATR are necessary for the intracellular survival of the pneumococcus in macrophages. Alternatively, a screening of two-component system (TCS) mutants showed that ATR and survival in pneumocytes were controlled in contrasting ways by ComDE and CiaRH, which had been involved in the ASIL mechanism. Briefly, CiaRH was essential for ATR (ComE represses activation) whereas ComE was necessary for ASIL (CiaRH protects against induction). They did not regulate F0F1-ATPase expression, but control LytA expression on the pneumococcal surface. These results suggest that both TCSs and F(0)F(1)-ATPase control a stress response and decide between a survival or a suicide mechanism by independent pathways, either in vitro or in pneumocyte cultures. This biological model contributes to the current knowledge about bacterial response under stress conditions in host tissues, where pathogens need to survive in order to establish infections.

Glutamine, glutamate, and arginine-based acid resistance in Lactobacillus reuteri

This study aimed to determine whether glutamine deamidation improves acid resistance of Lactobacillus reuteri, and to assess whether arginine, glutamine, and glutamate-mediated acid resistance are redundant or complementary mechanisms of acid resistance. Three putative glutaminase genes, gls1, gls2, and gls3, were identified in L. reuteri 100-23. All three genes were expressed during growth in mMRS and wheat sourdough. L. reuteri consistently over-expressed gls3 and the glutamate decarboxylase gadB. L. reuteri 100-23ΔgadB over-expressed gls3 and the arginine deiminase gene adi. Analysis of the survival of L. reuteri in acidic conditions revealed that arginine conversion is effective at pH of 3.5 while glutamine or glutamate conversion were effective at pH of 2.5. Arginine conversion increased the pHin but not ΔΨ; glutamate decarboxylation had only a minor effect on the pHin but increased the ΔΨ. This study demonstrates that glutamine deamidation increases the acid resistance of L. reuteri independent of glutamate decarboxylase activity. Arginine and glutamine/glutamate conversions confer resistance to lactate at pH of 3.5 and phosphate at pH of 2.5, respectively. Knowledge of L. reuteri's acid resistance improves the understanding of the adaptation of L. reuteri to intestinal ecosystems, and facilitates the selection of probiotic and starter cultures.

NADH oxidase functions as an adhesin in Streptococcus pneumoniae and elicits a protective immune response in mice

The initial event in disease caused by S. pneumoniae is adhesion of the bacterium to respiratory epithelial cells, mediated by surface expressed molecules including cell-wall proteins. NADH oxidase (NOX), which reduces free oxygen to water in the cytoplasm, was identified in a non-lectin enriched pneumococcal cell-wall fraction. Recombinant NOX (rNOX) was screened with sera obtained longitudinally from children and demonstrated age-dependent immunogenicity. NOX ablation in S. pneumoniae significantly reduced bacterial adhesion to A549 epithelial cells in vitro and their virulence in the intranasal or intraperitoneal challenge models in mice, compared to the parental strain. Supplementation of Δnox WU2 with the nox gene restored its virulence. Saturation of A549 target cells with rNOX or neutralization of cell-wall residing NOX using anti-rNOX antiserum decreased adhesion to A549 cells. rNOX-binding phages inhibited bacterial adhesion. Moreover, peptides derived from the human proteins contactin 4, chondroitin 4 sulfotraferase and laminin5, homologous to the insert peptides in the neutralizing phages, inhibited bacterial adhesion to the A549 cells. Furthermore, rNOX immunization of mice elicited a protective immune response to intranasal or intraperitoneal S. pneumoniae challenge, whereas pneumococcal virulence was neutralized by anti-rNOX antiserum prior to intraperitoneal challenge. Our results suggest that in addition to its enzymatic activity, NOX contributes to S. pneumoniae virulence as a putative adhesin and thus peptides derived from its target molecules may be considered for the treatment of pneumococcal infections. Finally, rNOX elicited a protective immune response in both aerobic and anaerobic environments, which renders NOX a candidate for future pneumococcal vaccine.

Microbial transport: Adaptations to natural environments

The cytoplasmic membrane of bacteria is the matrix for metabolic energy transducing processes such as proton motive force generation and solute transport. Passive permeation of protons across the cytoplasmic membrane is a crucial determinant in the proton motive generating capacity of the organisms. Adaptations of the membrane composition are needed to restrict the proton permeation rates especially at higher temperatures. Thermophilic bacteria cannot sufficiently restrict this proton permeation at their growth temperature and have to rely on the much lower permeation of Na + to generate a sodium motive force for driving metabolic energy-dependent membrane processes. Specific transport systems mediate passage across the membrane at physiological rates of all compounds needed for growth and metabolism and of all end products of metabolism. Some of transport systems, the secondary transporters, transduce one form of electrochemical energy into another form. These transporters can play crucial roles in the generation of metabolic energy. This is especially so in anaerobes such as Lactic Acid Bacteria which live under energy-limited conditions. Several transport systems are specifically aimed at the generation of metabolic energy during periods of energy-limitation. In their natural environment bacteria are also often exposed to cytotoxic compounds, including antibiotics. Many bacteria can respond to this live-threatening condition by overexpressing powerful drug-extruding multidrug resistance systems.

Fermented foods, feeds, and beverages

World population reached 5 billion people in 1986 and is expected to rise to 6 particularly severe in parts of Africa, particularly Ethiopia. Hunger and malnutrition accompany the poverty that is characteristic of the masses of the people in the developing world. Even in the United States, one of the most affluent countries, there has been a considerable increase in the number of homeless people including mothers and children living in the streets or in substandard housing. The indigenous fermented foods and beverages already consumed for centuries by hundreds of millions of the world's masses can be used in many cases to improve and extend the world's food and nutrition supply at a relatively low cost. Fermented foods, feeds and beverages are getting ever increasing attention particularly in the developing world and also in the developed world. This paper summarizes activities and advances related to fermented foods, feeds, and beverages over the past several years.

Housekeeping enzymes as virulence factors for pathogens

Housekeeping enzymes are ubiquitously present in almost all living beings to perform essential metabolic functions for the purpose of survival. These enzymes have been characterized in detail for many years. In recent years, there has been a number of reports indicating that some of these enzymes perform a variety of other functions. In case of many pathogens, certain enzymes play a role to enhance virulence. To perform such a function, enzymes must be located on the surface of pathogens. Although they do not have the typical signal sequence or membrane anchoring mechanisms, they do get secreted and are displayed on the surface, probably by their reassociation. Once on the surface, these enzymes interact with host components, such as fibronectin and plasminogen, or interact directly with the host cells, to trigger signal transduction and thereby enable the pathogens to colonize, persist and invade the host tissue. Therefore, certain housekeeping enzymes may act as putative virulence factors and targets for the development of new strategies to control the infection by using agents that can block their secretion and/or reassociation.

Virulence of Streptococcus pneumoniae: PsaA mutants are hypersensitive to oxidative stress

psaA encodes a 37-kDa pneumococcal lipoprotein which is part of an ABC Mn(II) transport complex. Streptococcus pneumoniae D39 psaA mutants have previously been shown to be significantly less virulent than wild-type D39, but the mechanism underlying the attenuation has not been resolved. In this study, we have shown that psaA and psaD mutants are highly sensitive to oxidative stress, i.e., to superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, which might explain why they are less virulent than the wild-type strain. Our investigations revealed altered expression of the key oxidative-stress response enzymes superoxide dismutase and NADH oxidase in psaA and psaD mutants, suggesting that PsaA and PsaD may play important roles in the regulation of expression of oxidative-stress response enzymes and intracellular redox homeostasis.

Sodium ion cycle in bacterial pathogens: evidence from cross-genome comparisons

Analysis of the bacterial genome sequences shows that many human and animal pathogens encode primary membrane Na+ pumps, Na+-transporting dicarboxylate decarboxylases or Na+ translocating NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase, and a number of Na+ -dependent permeases. This indicates that these bacteria can utilize Na+ as a coupling ion instead of or in addition to the H+ cycle. This capability to use a Na+ cycle might be an important virulence factor for such pathogens as Vibrio cholerae, Neisseria meningitidis, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi, and Yersinia pestis. In Treponema pallidum, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Chlamydia pneumoniae, the Na+ gradient may well be the only energy source for secondary transport. A survey of preliminary genome sequences of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, and Treponema denticola indicates that these oral pathogens also rely on the Na+ cycle for at least part of their energy metabolism. The possible roles of the Na+ cycling in the energy metabolism and pathogenicity of these organisms are reviewed. The recent discovery of an effective natural antibiotic, korormicin, targeted against the Na+ -translocating NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase, suggests a potential use of Na+ pumps as drug targets and/or vaccine candidates. The antimicrobial potential of other inhibitors of the Na+ cycle, such as monensin, Li+ and Ag+ ions, and amiloride derivatives, is discussed.

Visualizing pneumococcal infections in the lungs of live mice using bioluminescent Streptococcus pneumoniae transformed with a novel gram-positive lux transposon

Animal studies with Streptococcus pneumoniae have provided valuable models for drug development. In order to monitor long-term pneumococcal infections noninvasively in living mice, a novel gram-positive lux transposon cassette, Tn4001 luxABCDE Km(r), that allows random integration of lux genes onto the bacterial chromosome was constructed. The cassette was designed so that the luxABCDE and kanamycin resistance genes were linked to form a single promoterless operon. Bioluminescence and kanamycin resistance only occur in a bacterial cell if this operon has transposed downstream of a promoter on the bacterium's chromosome. S. pneumoniae D39 was transformed with plasmid pAUL-A Tn4001 luxABCDE Km(r), and a number of highly bioluminescent colonies were recovered. Genomic DNA from the brightest D39 strain was used to transform a number of clinical S. pneumoniae isolates, and several of these strains were tested in animal models, including a pneumococcal lung infection model. Strong bioluminescent signals were seen in the lungs of the animals containing these pneumococci, allowing the course and antibiotic treatment of the infections to be readily monitored in real time in the living animals. Recovery of the bacteria from the animals showed that the bioluminescent signal corresponded to the number of CFU and that the lux construct was highly stable even after several days in vivo. We believe that this lux transposon will greatly expand the ability to evaluate drug efficacy against gram-positive bacteria in living animals using bioluminescence.

Characterization of the Streptococcus pneumoniae NADH oxidase that is required for infection

Streptococcus pneumoniae is an important human pathogen capable of causing serious infections. NADH oxidase, a factor necessary for infection, was previously identified as part of a signature-tagged mutagenesis screen of a S. pneumoniae clinical isolate, 0100993. The mutant, with a plasmid insertion disrupting the nox gene, was attenuated for virulence in a murine respiratory tract infection model. A complete refined nox deletion mutant was generated by allelic-replacement mutagenesis and found to be attenuated for virulence 10(5)-fold in the murine respiratory tract infection model and at least 10(4)-fold in a Mongolian gerbil otitis media infection model, confirming the importance of the NADH oxidase for both types of S. pneumoniae infection. NADH oxidase converts O(2) to H(2)O. If O(2) is not fully reduced, it can form superoxide anion (O2(-)) and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), both of which can be toxic to cells. Bacterial cell extracts from the allelic-replacement mutant were found to lack NADH oxidase activity and the mutant was unable to grow exponentially under conditions of vigorous aeration. In contrast, the mutant displayed normal growth characteristics under conditions of limited aeration. The S. pneumoniae nox gene was cloned and expressed in E. coli. The purified His-tagged NADH oxidase was shown to oxidize NADH with a K:(m) of 32 microM, but was unable to oxidize NADPH. Oxidation of NADH was independent of exogenous FAD or FMN.

Antibacterial activity of Lactobacillus plantarum UG1 isolated from dry sausage: characterization, production and bactericidal action of plantaricin UG1

Lactobacillus plantarum UG1 isolated from dry sausage produced an antimicrobial substance that inhibited other strains of the genera Lactobacillus and Lactococcus, and some foodborne pathogens including Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium sporogenes. This antibacterial substance was inactivated by proteolytic enzymes and showed a bactericidal mode of action. Consequently, it was characterized as a bacteriocin, and was designated plantaricin UG1. This bacteriocin was stable in the pH range 4.5 to 7.0, partially inactivated by amylolytic enzymes and relatively thermostable. It was not affected by organic or lipolytic enzymes. Production of plantaricin UG1 was pH- and temperature-dependant and maximum yields were obtained in MRS broth cultures maintained at initial pH 6.5, and incubated at 25 degrees C to 30 degrees C, in the exponential to the early stationary growth phase of the producer organism. Ultrafiltration studies indicated that plantaricin UG1 has a molecular weight between 3 and 10 KDa. Curing experiments with L. plantarum UG1 resulted in the appearance of variants that lost bacteriocin production ability but were still immune to the bacteriocin. Plantaricin UG1 production appeared to be chromosomal encoded. Sensitive and insensitive Gram-positive bacteria adsorbed plantaricin UG1 irrespective of their susceptibility to it. In contrast, Gram-negative bacteria did not adsorb plantaricin UG1. The bactericidal action of plantaricin UG1 did not depend on the physiological state of the indicator culture and did not cause cell lysis. The resistance of two indicator strains to plantaricin UG1 has been studied.

Growth and Energy Generation by Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar diacetylactis during Citrate Metabolism

Growth of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar diacetylactis was observed on media with citrate as the only energy source. At pH 5.6, steady state was achieved in a chemostat on a citrate-containing medium in the absence of a carbohydrate. Under these conditions, pyruvate, acetate, and some acetoin and butanediol were the main fermentation products. This indicated that energy was conserved in L. lactis subsp. lactis biovar diacetylactis during citrate metabolism and presumably during the conversion of citrate into pyruvate. The presumed energy-conserving step, decarboxylation of oxaloacetate, was studied in detail. Oxaloacetate decarboxylase was purified to homogeneity and characterized. The enzyme has a native molecular mass of approximately 300 kDa and consists of three subunits of 52, 34, and 12 kDa. The enzyme is apparently not sodium dependent and does not contain a biotin moiety, and it seems to be different from the energy-generating oxaloacetate decarboxylase from Klebsiella pneumoniae. Energy-depleted L. lactis subsp. lactis biovar diacetylactis cells generated a membrane potential and a pH gradient immediately upon addition of citrate, whereas ATP formation was slow and limited. In contrast, lactose energization resulted in rapid ATP formation and gradual generation of a proton motive force. These data were confirmed during studies on amino acid uptake. α-Aminoisobutyrate uptake was rapid but glutamate uptake was slow in citrate-energized cells, whereas lactose-energized cells showed the reverse tendency. These data suggest that, in L. lactis subsp. lactis bv. diacetylactis, a proton motive force could be generated during citrate metabolism as a result of electrogenic citrate uptake or citrate/product exchange together with proton consumption by the intracellular oxaloacetate decarboxylase.

Conversion of Pyruvate to Acetoin Helps To Maintain pH Homeostasis in Lactobacillus plantarum

Pyruvate is the substrate for diacetyl and acetoin synthesis by lactobacilli. Exogenous pyruvate stimulates acetoin production when glucose is present as an energy source. In Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 8014, the energy derived from glucose via glycolysis generated a constant proton motive force of about -120 mV. At a low external pH, energized cells rapidly transported and accumulated pyruvate but did not do so when they were deenergized by nigericin. When large amounts of pyruvate were transported and subsequently accumulated internally, the cotransported protons rapidly lowered the internal pH. The conversion of pyruvate to acetoin instead of acidic end products contributed to the maintenance of pH homeostasis. This is the first report showing that the conversion of pyruvate to acetoin serves as a mechanism of pH homeostasis.

Chemiosmotic energy from malolactic fermentation

By using the luciferase-luciferin ATP assay and whole cells of Leuconostoc oenos, we have demonstrated that malolactic fermentation does yield ATP. This energy-yielding mechanism did not occur in a cell extract and was inhibited in the presence of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide or an ionophore such as monensin. A lactate:proton efflux mechanism for this proposed pathway is presented.

Correlation between depression of catabolite control of xylose metabolism and a defect in the phosphoenolpyruvate:mannose phosphotransferase system in Pediococcus halophilus

Pediococcus halophilus X-160 which lacks catabolite control by glucose was isolated from nature (soy moromi mash). Wild-type strains, in xylose-glucose medium, utilized glucose preferentially over xylose and showed diauxic growth. With wild-type strain I-13, xylose isomerase activity was not induced until glucose was consumed from the medium. Strain X-160, however, utilized xylose concurrently with glucose and did not show diauxic growth. In this strain, xylose isomerase was induced even in the presence of glucose. Glucose transport activity in intact cells of strain X-160 was less than 10% of that assayed in strain I-13. Determinations of glycolytic enzymes did not show any difference responsible for the unique behavior of strain X-160, but the rate of glucose-6-phosphate formation with phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) as a phosphoryl donor in permeabilized cells was less than 10% of that observed in the wild type. Starved P. halophilus I-13 cells contained the glycolytic intermediates 3-phosphoglycerate, 2-phosphoglycerate, and PEP (PEP pool). These were consumed concomitantly with glucose or 2-deoxyglucose uptake but were not consumed with xylose uptake. The glucose transport system in P. halophilus was identified as a PEP:mannose phosphotransferase system on the basis of the substrate specificity of PEP pool-starved cells. It is concluded that, in P. halophilus, this system is functional as a main glucose transport system and that defects in this system may be responsible for the depression of glucose-mediated catabolite control.

Effect of intracellular pH and potassium ions on a primary transport system for glutamate/aspartate in Streptococcus mutans

We have studied the mechanism of L-glutamate/L-aspartate transport in a fermentative oral bacterium of Streptococcus mutans (strain Ingbritt). The transport rate stays virtually constant throughout the pH range 5.5-8.5 and followed Michaelis-Menten type kinetics. At high pH values from 7 to 8.5, transport was essentially insensitive to N,N'-dicyclohexyl-carbodiimide (DCCD), an inhibitor of ATPase, and to carbonyl cyanide-p-trifluoromethoxyphenyl-hydrazone (FCCP), an ionophore dissipating proton motive force indicating that S. mutans transports glutamate by a primary transport system at the expense of ATP or an alternative energized metabolite. At lower external pH (7-5.5), DCCD (100 microM) or FCCP (10 microM) significantly inhibited L-glutamate transport while the intracellular ATP level was hardly affected, indicating that the activity of the primary transport system was decreased at lower intracellular pH. The glutamate transport was stimulated in the presence of potassium ion at an external pH of 6. The stimulation can be explained partly by the regulation of intracellular pH with concomitant potassium ion movement.

Role of malolactic fermentation in lactic acid bacteria

Although decarboxylation of malate to lactate by malolactic enzyme does not liberate biologically available energy (e.g., ATP, NADH), the growth rate of many malolactic bacteria is greatly enhanced by malolactic fermentation. The deacidification of the medium due to malate dissipation cannot fully account for this situation. The chemiosmotic theory postulates that another form of energy could generated by translocation of protons through the membrane coupled to end-product efflux. Konings et al. showed that this theory is indeed applicable to lactate efflux in Streptococcus cremoris at pH 7.0. A similar mechanism could account for the observed increased activity in malolactic bacteria. The study in wild type and mutant strains of Streptococcus lactis unable to carry out malolactic fermentation led us to the following conclusions: (1) under glucose non-limiting conditions, malolactic fermentation helps to maintain pH of the medium at a certain level; (2) during glucose limited growth, malolactic fermentation could be coupled with an energetic process independent from that mentioned above.

The F1-ATPase from Streptococcus cremoris: isolation, purification and partial characterization

1. The F1-ATPase from the plasma membrane of Streptococcus cremoris HA was released by low ionic shock wash and purified by gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography. 2. The specific activity of the purified F1-ATPase was 25.8 mumol Pi/mg protein/min. 3. Km for ATP was 0.80 mM, and Ki for ADP as a competetive inhibitor 0.40 mM. 4. The purified F1-ATPase consisted of five subunits, alpha, beta, gamma, delta and epsilon, with molecular masses of 47.0, 45.0, 29.5, 22.0 and 13.0 kDa, respectively. 5. The isoelectric point of the enzyme complex was found to be 4.4.

Properties of the N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide resistant ATPase of Streptococcus cremoris

1. The specific activity of the membrane-bound ATPase of Streptococcus cremoris HA was 1.30 mumol Pi/mg protein/min. 2. Km for ATP as substrate was 0.8 mM. 3. The pH optimum was 8.0 at +37 degrees C. 4. The ATPase was maximally activated with Mg2+/ATP molar ratio of 1:2. 5. Cations activated the enzyme in order: Mg2+ greater than Co2+ greater than Mn2+ greater than Zn2+ greater than Ca2+ greater than K+ greater than Na+. 6. The enzyme was inhibited by oligomycin (27-77%), sodium azide (13-33%) and ouabain (15-22%). N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide had no effect on the enzyme activity.