Arginine transport in Streptococcus lactis is catalyzed by a cationic exchanger.

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Abstract
Streptococcus lactis metabolizes arginine via the arginine deiminase pathway to ornithine, CO2, NH3, and ATP. The translocation of arginine and ornithine has been studied using membrane vesicles of galactose/arginine-grown cells of S. lactis fused with cytochrome c oxidase proteoliposomes by the freeze/thaw--sonication procedure earlier described. In the presence of reduced cytochrome c the fused membranes rapidly accumulate ornithine. Addition of arginine releases accumulated ornithine. Rapid uncoupler-insensitive exchange between external arginine and internal ornithine is seen at rates that are at least 60-fold higher than the rate of protonmotive force-driven arginine translocation. This arginine:ornithine exchange activity was reconstituted in proteoliposomes after solubilization of S. lactis membranes with octyl beta-D-glucopyranoside. These proteoliposomes catalyze a one-to-one exchange between arginine and ornithine. The arginine:ornithine exchange system is the first exchange system for cationic metabolites found in bacteria. Translocation of arginine via this system does not require metabolic energy obtained by arginine metabolism.

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