Characterization of a lysine-specific active transport system in Rickettsia prowazeki

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Abstract
R. prowazeki possesses an active transport system for lysine with a Kt of influx of 1 .mu.M. Extraction and chromatographic analysis of the accumulated labeled material show the material to be lysine rather than a derivative. This intracellular lysine pool can be exchanged with external unlabeled substrates for at least 10 min. The lysine analogs L-aminoethyl cysteine, N-methyl lysine, hydroxylysine and D-lysine competitively inhibit uptake of L-lysine, but cadaverine, diaminopimelate, arginine, ornithine and .epsilon.-aminocaproate do not. Accumulation of lysine can be inhibited by the energy poisons KCN, triphenylmethyl phosphonium bromide and 2,4-dinitrophenol. The effect of KCN, but not 2,4-dinitrophenol or triphenylmethyl phosphonium bromide, can be overcome by ATP. Energy-dependent influx and energy-independent efflux are inhibited by SH-reagents N-ethyl maleimide and p-chloromercuriphenyl sulfonic acid.