Studies on the accumulation of putrescine and spermidine in Escherichia coli

The rate of accumulation of the polyamines spermidine and putrescine by E. coli depended on growth rate. Spermidine accumulation was faster in chemostat cultures with high dilution rates than in those with low dilution rates and was slower in bacteria that had been grown for several generations with either putrescine or spermidine, suggesting that the spermidine-uptake system was repressed by exogenous polyamines. The uptake of spermidine required metabolic energy. Thus accumulation occurred in an energy-starved unc strain only upon addition of glucose (or D-lactate to a smaller extent). With glucose present accumulation occurred in an unc, frd strain under anaerobic conditions, suggesting that ATP drives uptake. However, accumulation was generally sensitive to carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), indicating that the proton motive force was involved in uptake. Unlike spermidine, putrescine accumulation was faster in slow-growing than in fast-growing cultures. This may have been due to greater efflux of putrescine at faster growth rates. Accumulation of putrescine was faster following prolonged growth with either putrescine or spermidine, suggesting induction of the putrescine-uptake system by exogenous polyamines. Like spermidine accumulation, putrescine accumulation required metabolic energy. Accumulation was insensitive to CCCP and occurred only when glucose was added to energy-starved unc bacteria, suggesting that high-energy bonds may drive the uptake of putrescine.