A MECHANISM OF HALOPHILISM IN MICROCOCCUS HALODENITRIFICANS

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Abstract
In M. halodenitrificans denitrification proceeds optimally in cultures at a NaCl concn. of 2.2% but in cell-free preparations at a concn. of 0.9%. This indicates that the salt content of the cell is less than that of its environment and that yme system is sensitive to "salting out." Electrophoretic data indicate that the salt is not excluded from the cell by a lipoidal barrier. In resting cells denitrification proceeds optimally in the presence of tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine at a salt concn. of 0.55% and in the presence of Na azide between 1 and 2%. It is concluded that these inhibitors interfere with an energy mechanism which maintains the concentration difference between the cell and its environment. The inhibition by tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine suggests a coenzyme 1- or 2-linked mechanism.
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