[Growth and proton-potassium exchange in Enterococcus hirae: protonophore effect and the role of oxidation-reduction...

Enterococcus hirae ATCC 9790 are able to grow under anaerobic conditions during the fermentation of sugars (pH 8.0) in the presence of the protonophore carbonylcyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone at a lesser specific growth rate. As bacteria grow, the acidification of the external medium and a drop in the redox potential from positive to negative (up to -220 mV) values occur. The reducer dithiothreitol, which maintains the negative values of the redox potential, increases the growth rate and acidification of the medium, recovering thereby the effect of the protonophore (without interacting with it). Conversely, the impermeable oxidizer ferricyanide, while maintaining positive values of the redox potential, inhibits the bacterial growth. These results indicate the role of the proton-motive force and importance of reducing processes in bacterial growth. The proton-potassium exchange is inhibited by carbonylcyanide-m-chlorophenylhydazone but is restored with dithiothreitol. Dithiothreiol is able to substitute the proton-motive force; however, ferricyanide and dithiothreitol may also directly affect the bacterial membrane.