NhaK, a novel monovalent cation/H+ antiporter of Bacillus subtilis

Four Na+/H+ antiporters, Mrp, TetA(L), NhaC, and MleN have so far been described in Bacillus subtilis 168. We identified an additional Na+/H+ antiporter, YvgP, from B. subtilis that exhibits homology to the cation: proton antiporter-1 (CPA-1) family. The yvgP-dependent complementation observed in a Na+(Ca2+)/H+ antiporter-defective Escherichia coli mutant (KNabc) suggested that YvgP effluxed Na+ and Li+. In addition, effects of yvgP expression on a K+ uptake-defective mutant of E. coli indicated that YvgP also supported K+ efflux. In a fluorescence-based assay of everted membrane vesicles prepared from E. coli KNabc transformants, YvgP-dependent Na+ (K+, Li+, Rb+)/H+ antiport activity was demonstrated. Na+ (K+, Li+)/H+ activity was higher at pH 8.5 than at pH 7.5. Mg2+, Ca2+ and Mn2+ did not serve as substrates but they inhibited YvgP antiport activities. Studies of yvgP expression in B. subtilis, using a reporter gene fusion, showed a significant constitutive level of expression that was highest in stationary phase, increasing as stationary phase progressed. In addition, the expression level was significantly increased in the presence of added K+ and Na+.