JBC, Vol. 250, Issue 8, 2855-2865, Apr, 1975
Coupling of alanine racemase and D-alanine dehydrogenase to active transport of amino acids in Escherichia coli B membrane vesicles
G. Kaczorowski, L. Shaw, M. F-entes and C. Walsh
Isolated membrane vesicles from Escherichia coli B grown on
DL-alanine-glycerol carry out amino acid active transport coupled to
D-alanine oxidation by a membrane-bound dehydrogenase. Several other
D-amino acids are substrates for this D-alanine dehydrogenase and also
drive concentrative uptake of solutes. Additionally, L-alanine and L-serine
can energize solute transport by virtue of conversion to oxidizable D
isomers by a membrane-bound alanine racemase. No other physiological
L-amino acids were effective. Both membrane enzymes and consequent solute
transport are markedly reduced in vesicles from glucose-grown cells.
Respiratory chain uncouplers abolish the racemase-dehydrogenase-supported
transport activity. When amino-oxyacetate at 10-4 M is added to the
vesicles, the racemase activity and transport driven by L-alanine and
L-serine is specifically and reversibly inhibited. D-Alanine-driven
transport is unaffected. Similarly beta-chloro-L-alanine is an irreversible
inactivator of the bound racemase but not the D-alanine dehydrogenase. Both
the D and L isomers of beta-chloroalanine support oxygen uptake by the
vesicles and initially stimulate L-(14C)proline active transport. However,
oxidation of the beta-chloro-D-alanine rapidly uncouples active transport
from substrate oxidation. This transport inactivation can be protected
partially by dithiothreitol, putatively scavenging a reactive product of
chloroalanine oxidation. Authentic beta-chloropyruvate produces the same
transport uncoupling. When beta-chloro-L-alanine is employed as a
substrate, no such transport inactivation is observed. This difference may
stem from the possibility that the alanine racemase eliminates HCl from
beta-chloro-L-alanine producing pyruvate, not the beta-chloropyruvate that
would arise from racemization and then dehydrogenation. We have shown that
exogenous pyruvate is oxidized by the vesicles and will also stimulate
active transport of amino acids.