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Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, March 2001, p. 901-904, Vol. 45, No. 3
Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología III,
Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid,
Spain,1 and Department of Microbiology,
Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute,
University of Groningen, Kerklaan 30, 9751 NN Haren, The
Netherlands2
Received 24 April 2000/Returned for modification 15 August
2000/Accepted 21 December 2000
Enterocin P is a bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus
faecium P13. We studied the mechanism of its bactericidal action
using enterocin-P-sensitive E. faecium T136 cells. The
bacteriocin is incapable of dissipating the transmembrane pH gradient.
On the other hand, depending on the buffer used, enterocin P dissipates the transmembrane potential. Enterocin P efficiently elicits efflux of
potassium ions, but not of intracellularly accumulated anions like
phosphate and glutamate. Taken together, these data demonstrate that
enterocin P forms specific, potassium ion-conducting pores in the
cytoplasmic membrane of target cells.
0066-4804/01/$04.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/AAC.45.3.901-904.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Enterocin P Causes Potassium Ion Efflux from
Enterococcus faecium T136 Cells
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Departamento de
Nutrición y Bromatología III, Facultad de Veterinaria,
Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain. Phone:
34913943750. Fax: 34913943743. E-mail:
cburgy{at}eucmax.sim.ucm.es.
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